Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Chocolate is good for everyone

Even diabetics, at least type 2s. Enriched Cocoa Improves Blood Flow in Diabetics - Yahoo! News:
All the talk about chocolate being good for your health is starting to get serious. Mars Inc., of chocolate bar fame, has established a scientific division. And a group of researchers, some in Germany, others with the new Mars division known as Symbioscience, has just published a report showing that an enriched hot cocoa beverage can improve blood flow in people with type 2 diabetes. "The study is the first of its kind in terms of its rigor, as well as the population studied," said Harold Schmitz, chief science officer of Mars. "Diabetics treated as well as they could be treated with pharmaceutical intervention did see, on average, a 30 percent improvement in vascular function." .... "The bottom line is that diabetics who have a poor vascular system can benefit from something that gives pleasure at the same time it helps health. Cocoa increases the amount of endorphins, the feel-good chemicals."
OK, I stretched it with "everyone." But something sweet being good for diabetics caught my attention. As did the Mars laboratory. More about dark chocolate at University of Michigan Integrative Medicine.

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