Got high blood pressure? Or worried about heart disease? Think twice before you bite into a dark chocolate bar, going by the popular norm that it might be good for health.
The 'Lancet', a leading medical journal, has said in its editorial that the health claims may be misleading -- dark chocolates are not so healthy as many manufacturers remove flavanols (which protect the heart) due to their bitter taste.
Instead, many products may just be abundant in fat and sugar -- both of which are harmful to the heart, the journal reported in its latest edition.
"Dark chocolate can be deceptive. When chocolate manufacturers make confectionery, the natural cocoa solids can be darkened and the flavanols, which are bitter, removed, so even a dark-looking chocolate can have no flavanol.
"Consumers are also kept in the dark about the flavanol content of chocolate because manufacturers rarely label their products with this information," the journal said.
The editorial has also pointed out that even with flavanols present, chocolate-lovers should be mindful of the other contents.
"The devil in the dark chocolate is the fat, sugar and calories it also contains. To gain any health benefit, those who eat a moderate amount of flavanol-rich dark chocolate will have to balance the calories by reducing their intake of other foods -- a tricky job for even the most ardent calorie counter.
Courtesy:thehindu.com
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