Dietary cocoa improves health of obese mice; likely has implications for humans

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Since I got M.E., I can’t stop eating chocolate.

Right there with you ..... I've always been a fan of dark chocolate, and I find that the hot cocoa, made with 70% dark chocolate powder, is an absolute go-to when I get down in the dump-ish or just need a nice little pickup beyond my very weak morning coffee....

Maybe it's the magnesium and antioxidants that make it so essential ..... or the theobromine ....

Anywhich, as to the nay-sayers, I'll give up my dark chocolate when you can pry it out of my fiercely clenched, determined, chocolate-fueled, hands ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

What type of cocoa did the research use? I'm not up for reading the article right now.

I can't remember. I'm not sure that they mentioned whether the cocoa they used was Dutched or not, but the study stated that they were given a donation of cocoa from, I think, Blommer Chocolate Co, in Pennsylvania, so you could google that company and find out what kind of cocoa they generally produce for the mass market, sice the study specified that they used cocoa readily available in any market ...

My guess is that they may have used non-Dutch process chocolate, but that's a guess ....

And right there with you on not up for it right now ....

 

[Mary]

I drink 1 - 2 cups of cocoa powder with hot water each day. (The baking unsweetened powder.)
It definitely helps.

@Booble - what does it help with?

@YippeeKi YOW !! - very interesting thread! I love dark chocolate and never eat it but now just may have to, for "health reasons"!

 

[Booble]

It helps me with EVERYTHING.
- Gives me a little energy boost (note: I don't drink coffee.)
- Helps me think more clearly
- Seems to regulate my blood sugar (or it feels that way)
- Seems to help with IBS
- Reduces stress
- Makes me feel happy
- Feels good drinking the hot drink (and I live in a hot climate!)
- And hopefully is making my arteries more flexible and healthy as the research indicates.

 

[Booble]

Nah-uh ..... at only a little over 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to 16 ozs of cocoa, I don't get any reaction from it, and it boosts and expands the flavor profile of the chocolate .... I also add less than 1/16th teaspoon of salt.

Salt is an electrolyte, and works well with the components in the chocolate, and sugar helps your body absorb and process electrolytes more efficiently, so there's method in my hedonism.

I always add about 1/4 t. cinnamon per cup of cocoa. It has multiple health benefits, including balancing blood sugar, and I really like the taste .... for me, adding mint to cocoa totally defeats the subtle flavors in the chocolate, knocking them out completely, but chacun a son gout ....

Oh, I'm not begrudging you sugar (I eat plenty sugar), I just like the cocoa powder plain best of all!

 

[Mary]

And hopefully is making my arteries more flexible and healthy as the research indicates.

Thanks @Booble - this last one especially appeals to me. My BP has gone up the last several months. I don't know why, I haven't changed eating patterns or anything. I've seen blurbs about chocolate's health benefits before but never really paid attention or took it seriously, but I think I am going to give it a try now! I do drink coffee by the way, my one cup of good coffee in the morning is the highlight of my day!

 

[Mary]

So this thread Dietary stearic acid induces mitochondrial fusion in humans. Relevance for ME/CFS? | Phoenix Rising ME/CFS Forums also mentions chocolate in this post as having health benefits for our mitochondria, related to stearic acid - more "food" for thought!

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

You don't need a reason to eat more chocolate.

Chocolate is the reason to eat more chocolate

....

But chocolate with medicinal porpoises is, like, absolutely, totally irresistible ... and absolutely totally defensible, which is even better ....

@Jyoti ....

Do you think Kettle Chips could be talked into making dark chocolate dipped, medium cut, salted potato chips? Cause I think that would be a real winner. No, really. Honest. Totally not kidding. Really.

 

[Booble]

Thanks @Booble - this last one especially appeals to me. My BP has gone up the last several months. I don't know why, I haven't changed eating patterns or anything. I've seen blurbs about chocolate's health benefits before but never really paid attention or took it seriously, but I think I am going to give it a try now! I do drink coffee by the way, my one cup of good coffee in the morning is the highlight of my day!

Try it!
My husband (no CFS but leaned toward depression years ago before he started drinking chocolate) has one mug of cocoa in the morning and then he has his usually coffee. I'm 100% certain that the serotonin boost keeps depression away for him -- more so than I am about the effects on me. But I'm pretty sure for me too on the things I noted above.

Oh, I also eat blueberries each morning which might contribute to the mental clarity as well.

 

[Booble]

....

But chocolate with medicinal porpoises is, like, absolutely, totally irresistible ... and absolutely totally defensible, which is even better ....

@Jyoti ....

Do you think Kettle Chips could be talked into making dark chocolate dipped, medium cut, salted potato chips? Cause I think that would be a real winner. No, really. Honest. Totally not kidding. Really.

We have a market that sells pretzels dipped in chocolate. So good. Something about that salty/sweet/chocolate combo.

 

[Booble]

@YippeeKi YOW !! I like the idea of adding salt. A few days ago I had a business call in the morning and I was feeling pretty blah. I rubbed some salt under my tongue and then drank my cocoa and I miraculously got fit for my call.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

It would be interesting to see if exact quantities of those nutrients taken in purified form at the same dose would have the same effect.

You're kidding, right ?

Even science doesnt know exactly what all the components, excipients, antioxidants, trace minerals, mystery molecules, or Elfin constructs in chocolate are .... the best they can do is mutter about the minerals and antioxidants and possible neurotransmitter stimulators, and you know, theobromine ....

The mystery gift from The Gods, at least according to the Aztecs, who were particularly anxious to keep Them happy. Probably because of the possibility of Their rescinding their local chocolate monopoly....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

So good. Something about that salty/sweet/chocolate combo.

Totally ....

Here's something that keeps me hanging on some days: there;s some place in the South, I think, and also in Europe or maybe Bariloche, Argentina (where they have indescribably great chocolate I'm told), where they take thick-cut crispy bacon .... AND TOTALLY COAT IT IN THE CHOCOLATE OF YOUR CHOICE AS SOON AS IT'S COOLED ENOUGH OFF THE GRILL ... AND THEY USE REALLY REALLY GOOD CHOCOLATE !!!!! ....

I like the idea of adding salt.

It really seems to make a difference on several levels. It brings out the subtle flavors of the chocolate, it rounds out the minerals profile, and along with the very small amount of sugar, seems to really get into y system and give me a little something-something extra, except on my really bad days ...

Give it a shot maybe .....

EDIT .... Another idiot typo, if you can call leaving out an entire word a typo, which I'm def going to do ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

@YippeeKi YOW !! - very interesting thread! I love dark chocolate and never eat it but now just may have to, for "health reasons"!

I know, right? The second I saw that article, I knew it was sent by some protective higher force. Probably the Gnomes ??? Ancient Aztecs??? Guardian Angel ??? Hershey's Chocolate promotor????

Whatev, I couldn;t wait to share it, because I've been using dark chocolate for a little while now, but wasn't sure if it wasn't my own slavish devotion to it that made it so uniquely helpful ....

Sooooo happy to hear all the positive feedback from others who've made the same discovery, each if us independently of the other ....

 

[Jyoti]

Do you think Kettle Chips could be talked into making dark chocolate dipped, medium cut, salted potato chips? Cause I think that would be a real winner. No, really. Honest. Totally not kidding. Really.

Oh, I know...you are serious and utterly medicinal in your search for the ultimate panacea.

And who knew? Apparently this is a delicacy popular in North Dakota! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate-covered_potato_chips

 

[wabi-sabi]

Happily I have never found dietary oxalate to make any difference for me. I tend to think its ill effects are exaggerated.

I often put my cocoa powder in soymilk. It comes out much creamier than cocoa in water and is a very soothing drink.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

And who knew? Apparently this is a delicacy popular in North Dakota! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate-covered_potato_chips

NO WAY !!!! North-Stuck-Out-Here-In-The-Ice-Floes-Dakota????

Who'da quessed .... altho now that I think on it a bit, they're right next to Minnesota, where they've concocted some pretty rad taste treats. Ad I'm not even referencing lutefisk ... which isnt even really a food. More of a building or roofing material ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Happily I have never found dietary oxalate to make any difference for me. I tend to think its ill effects are exaggerated.

I dont know if they're exaggerated, but I'm guessing that they're very personal and related to various genetic codings that we know nothing of. Thank the Lord ..... And they only show up in those unfortunats who are prone to poor oxalic acid clearing ....

KNOCK WOOD !!! I've got more than I can handle right now, thanks any way ....

EDIT ... yeah. Typo. Sounded like I was practicing archery until I corrected it ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Oh, I know...you are serious and utterly medicinal in your search for the ultimate panacea.

Absolutely tireless in the self-sacrificing pursuit of anything that might benefit man/womankind ....

 

[Judee]

I think Phenylethylamine might also have something to do with it. It probably also involves the release of dopamine somewhere in the equation.

I do think this disease fizzles out our dopamine somehow.