Don't worry, be happy and drink lots of cocoa

01.03.06
By Steve Connor

Men who are blessed with a sunny disposition and a predilection for a cup of cocoa before bedtime are also likely to live longer, scientists have discovered.

Two separate studies in the Netherlands have found that regular cocoa drinkers have lower blood pressure than non-drinkers and that an optimistic outlook helps you to avoid heart disease.

Both studies looked at large numbers of men between the ages of 64 and 85 who were interviewed about their lifestyles in order to tease out any associations with potentially lethal diseases.

Meanwhile, over the 15 years of the study looking at cocoa drinking, the scientists found that the men with the highest consumption levels had significantly lower blood pressure than those who hardly drank the beverage.

The study also found that regular cocoa drinkers were also at half the risk of developing serious heart disease compared to non-drinkers and were more likely to live longer, according to Dr Buijsse and his colleagues.

One theory is that cocoa powder is a rich source of antioxidants, such as plant flavanols, and that these natural substances help to prevent a range of diseases associated with damage due to aerobic metabolism.

"Because cocoa is a rich source of anti-oxidants," the scientists say, "it may also be related to other diseases that are linked with oxidative stress, for example pulmonary diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and certain types of cancer."

What's in a bean

* Cocoa beans contain a range of anti-oxidants including plant flavanols.
* Flavanols are thought to increase nitric oxide in the blood.
* That is thought to improve the function of blood vessels.
* Anti-oxidants help to prevent a range of diseases associated with damage due to aerobic metabolism.

source:http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10370441