Chocolate study offers clues for healthy eating
The beneficial effects of eating foods rich in antioxidants could be cancelled out when combined with products such as milk, according to new research carried out by scientists in the UK and Italy. The team from the University of Glasgow and Italy's national institute for food and nutrition research were examining the effects of different types of chocolate on antioxidant levels in the body. They gave 12 healthy volunteers either 200 grams of milk chocolate or 100 grams of dark chocolate, in order that the overall levels of antioxidants in each sample were roughly the same. They then measured antioxidant levels in each of the volunteers blood plasma, which produced some interesting results. 'Those volunteers who had dark chocolate had a 20 per cent increase in antioxidants in their plasma. But those who had milk chocolate [...] showed no increase,' said Professor Alan Crozier, a team member from the University of Glasgow. Significantly, some of those individuals that were given dark chocolate samples were also asked to drink 200 ml of milk at the same time. The levels of antioxidants present in their blood also showed no increase. Professor Crozier believes that the most likely explanation for these findings is that in both cases the antioxidants formed bonds with the milk proteins, inhibiting the body's ability to absorb them. These results led the team to speculate that milk and other dairy products may prevent the body from absorbing antioxidants from other foods, such as fruit and green vegetables. Antioxidants are believed to lower levels of free radicals in the blood. High levels of free radicals have been linked to cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. 'I imagine this will be good news to the chocoholics of this world who prefer dark chocolate. But I would, of course, emphasise that we are talking about moderate chocolate consumption,' Professor Crozier concluded.
Countries
Italy, United Kingdom