Chocolate Health Trivia

I've nicked this from Domori's page:

Cocoa butter and cardiovascular health
Cocoa butter, comprises essentially stearic and oleic acids, together with a smaller percentage of palmitic acid and a few traces of several other fatty acids. The data show consistently that fats with a high content of stearic acid are consistently less cholesterolemic and atherogenic than are fats containing the other common long-chain fatty acids, namely lauric, myristic and palmitic. The research studies also suggest that absorbability of cocoa butter is reduced, probably due to its high stearic acid content.Stearic acid boasts a unique position in the saturated fatty acids class, resulting from its neutral cholesterolemic effect; it does not affect total or lipoprotein cholesterol levels even when absorbed at very high levels. With respect to thrombosis, stearic acid does not have an adverse effect on platelet function and it seems to play no role in thrombogenic events.

Antioxidants
Many people think that at least some of the protective effects of plants depend upon these antioxidant compounds. We know already from early work on cocoa, both raw and fermented, that it has a high content of antioxidants. Cocoa is a treasure chest of compounds with potentially beneficial effects on human health. It will be very interesting to watch the development of the field of phytochemicals, and to learn its implications for cocoa products.

Minerals
Cocoa and chocolate have a very high percentage of minerals, definitely more than almost any other food. However, it is still unknown to what extent these minerals are actually used by the human body.

Methylxanthines
The contribution of cocoa and chocolate foods to the average daily intake of caffeine in both children and adults is very low. While the theobromine content of chocolate foods is at least ten times higher than that of caffeine, the physiological effects of the former are generally weak. Recent scientific studies have shown that moderate consumption of methylxanthines from any food source does not cause adverse physiological or health effects.

Obesity
There is no available evidence proving that the consumption of chocolate causes obesity. However, chocolate could contribute to weight maintenance in the obese, by providing a highly palatable, readily available and energy-dense snack food.

Diabetes
Chocolate products are usually very energy-dense foods and should therefore play a minor and yet pleasurable and guilt-free role in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes.
Active individuals with type 1 diabetes can afford a larger consumption of chocolate as long as blood glucose and lipid control remain within desirable levels.

Dental health
Chocolate causes moderate caries, and this is probably related to the cocoa fraction of chocolate, which contains chemicals inhibitory to oral bacteria.

Headache
The research studies suggest that chocolate probably doesn't cause headaches in the majority of suffering from headache.

Craving
Chocolate is by far the most commonly reported food item that is craved. What is its secret? Definitely its taste. Sweet, fatty food items have a pleasant taste; chocolate approaches the ideal combination of sweetness and fat content. Pleasant-tasting foods induce the release of endorphins in the brain.

Acne
There is no link between chocolate and acne.

Liver
Chocolate does not affect liver and kidney. Only on patients who are susceptible to reflux esophagitis chocolate leads to serious heartburn, such as smoking, alcohol, caffeine and high-fat products.