Re: Cocoa and chocolate for prevention of cardiovascular diseases?

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Interesting. I drink 8 cups of green tea daily, there is some
evidence it may prevent CHD. I'll add some cocoa to my oatmeal mix
now.

Matti Narkia <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

The article

Hot Cocoa Tops Red Wine And Tea In Antioxidants; May Be Healthier Choice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031106051159.htm

comments a study which found that antioxidant concentration of hot cocoa was
2 times stronger than red wine, 2-3 times stronger than green tea, and 4-5
times stronger than that of black tea. The are a number of other studies
which have found the cocoa and chocolate polyphenols are powerful
antioxidants and inhibit LDL oxidation. Other studies have shown that cocoa
and chocolate polyphenols have aspirin-like effects: they inhibit platelet
activation and function.

References

General, antioxidants, etc...
_____________________________

Serafini M, Bugianesi R, Maiani G, Valtuena S, De Santis S, Crozier A.
Plasma antioxidants from chocolate.
Nature. 2003 Aug 28;424(6952):1013.
<http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v424/n6952/abs/4241013a_fs.html&dynoptions=doi1068987498>

"There is some speculation that dietary flavonoids from
chocolate, in particular (-)epicatechin, may promote
cardiovascular health as a result of direct antioxidant
effects or through antithrombotic mechanisms. Here we show
that consumption of plain, dark chocolate (Fig. 1) results in
an increase in both the total antioxidant capacity and the
(-)epicatechin content of blood plasma, but that these
effects are markedly reduced when the chocolate is consumed
with milk or if milk is incorporated as milk chocolate. Our
findings indicate that milk may interfere with the absorption
of antioxidants from chocolate in vivo and may therefore
negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from
eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate."

Schewe T, Kuhn H, Sies H.
Flavonoids of cocoa inhibit recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase.
J Nutr. 2002 Jul;132(7):1825-9.
PMID: 12097654 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/132/7/1825>

Hatano T, Miyatake H, Natsume M, Osakabe N, Takizawa T, Ito H, Yoshida T.

I hope all that tea doesn't do what soy apparently does to the sex
drive. I wish I could find a number of foods that would both enhance
sex drive and reduce risk for heart disease...