The Cardiovascular effects of chocolate
Jose P. Garcia 1, Adrian Santana 2, Diego Lugo Baruqui 3, Nicholas Suraci 4,*
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Florida Atlantic University Medical School, Boca Raton, Florida. 33431
2 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. 21218
3 Department of Internal Medicine. Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida. 33140
4 Department of Anesthesiology. Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida. 33140
*Correspondence: nicholas.suraci@gmail.com (Nicholas Suraci)
Abstract
The antioxidants as polyphenols, especially flavanols present in cocoa, exert a favorable effect on endothelium vasodilation, modulate inflammatory markers, and decrease platelet aggregation, lipid oxidation and insulin resistance. Recent nutritional intervention trials and molecular studies demonstrate that consumption of cocoa, particularly rich in flavanols, is beneficial to promote cardiovascular health. This review describes the cardiovascular effects of chocolate.
Keywords
- Chocolate
- flavanols
- cardiovascular
- nitric oxide