Moderation key to chocolate indulgence

Today's a mother's special day, and with the arrival of a special day, many women have the opportunity to indulge in chocolate. Before you indulge too much into your box of chocolate caramels or crîme-filled treats, understand that new research suggests chocolate may not be great for the bones, even though it's beneficial in other ways.

Blount Memorial Hospital registered dietitian Mendy Cobb says chocolate is a flavonoid-rich food, meaning it's a plant substance that occurs naturally to protect against viruses. "Flavonoids/flavanols help to reinforce our body's own defenses by offering protection against harmful molecules in the body called free radicals."

Free radicals are things that can damage the body's cells, but also cause oxidative stress, which has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. "For individuals who regularly consume chocolate or chocolate-containing beverages, chocolate can be an important source of flavonoids in their diet."

"This would indicate the good side of chocolate," Cobb says, adding that the flip side is the possibility that chocolate causes bone disease, which is indicated in the new research. "Chocolate also can be an important source of oxalate, which is an inhibitor of calcium absorption, and sugar, which may increase calcium excretion," she says, adding that less calcium in the bones decreases their strength. If these components adversely affect the calcium balance, Cobb says the bones can become more brittle.

This is especially important for aging women, as general nutrition -- as well as chocolate consumption -- seems to play a role in the maintenance of bones and the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures, something Cobb says is the leading cause of morbidity in older women. "Those with lower bone density, mass and strength also are at risk."

And while Cobb emphasizes that studies haven't been done to determine the connection between bone density and chocolate in children or younger adults, it's easy to assume, given the results, the case would be the same for children and younger women who eat or drink chocolate more than once daily. "However, younger individuals may have larger reserves of calcium in their bones, thus causing the deficiency to be less-evident until later in life."

Chocolate isn't all bad, though, for other health-related functions, Cobb points out. "Recent findings suggest that the components of cocoa and chocolate may impact the cardiovascular system, kidney function, brain health, immune system, diabetes and blood pressure, as well as vascular health. Suggestions also have been made that chocolate can assist in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and keeping skin healthy."

And if you have your choice, go for the dark chocolate pieces, as Cobb says they're a good alternative to milk chocolate and a source of some key antioxidants. "According to Sandra Capra from the University of Newcastle, the health properties of dark chocolate are real and should not be dismissed lightly," Cobb explains, adding that usually one to two squares of dark chocolate is beneficial.

Being naturally rich in antioxidants, chocolate, when ranked against other antioxidant-rich foods, can have as much as 10 times the antioxidant power as other foods, Cobb says. "The more natural the cocoa in the product, the higher the flavanols," she explains. When the cocoa bean is processed, flavanols are removed. "With no flavanols in the chocolate left, the remainder is fat, sugar and calories -- none of which are ever regarded as healthy."

Cobb encourages consumers to be attentive when it comes to buying -- and eating -- chocolate. "Manufacturers rarely label their products with the flavanol content, but a good rule of thumb for choosing products rich in flavanols is to look for non-alkalized or lightly alkalized cocoas -- also called dutched cocoa." She explains that natural cocoa is not alkalized, and it's also good to look for darker chocolates made with at least 40 percent cocoa bean content or cacao.

"Too much of a good thing is no longer good," Cobb reminds, preaching moderation. While chocolate does contain flavanols -- which can be helpful -- there's still a lot of fat and sugar that provide additional calories.

The Women's Health column is provided by the staff and associates of Blount Memorial Hospital. It appears every Sunday in Women's Times. For more information on this column call 983-7211.