Antioxidants of Cocoa and Cardiovascular Disease

Category: Conditions of the Circulatory System

It has been established that antioxidants are protective against the development of cardiovascular disease. One particular class of molecules, flavonoids, possesses strong antioxidant action. Foods that are high in flavonoids include dark leafy greens, fruits, and cocoa.

Cocoa is high in flavonols and procyanidins, two subclasses of flavonoids. Epicatechin and catechin are the two most abundant procyanidins in cocoa. Recent studies have documented these flavonoids from cocoa as having protective effects against the development of cardiovascular disease. Cocoa flavonoids are believed to exert most of their action on the blood vessels and platelets.

Cocoa is believed to be anti-inflammatory, and can reduce certain inflammatory molecules in the blood that are known to damage the blood vessels. Damage to blood vessels is a primary step in the development of atherosclerosis and heart failure.

Cocoa has also been shown to affect the actions of platelets. Inflammation and oxidative damage can cause the platelets to become stickier, often referred to as platelet aggregation. When this occurs, clots form in the vessels and can result in heart attacks and stroke. By decreasing aggregation, cocoa exerts protective effects against heart attack and stroke, as well as general venous clots.

The full potential of cocoa as a protective substance against the development of cardiovascular disease is not fully understood. More research is being carried out to understand the function of flavonoids from cocoa and other foods as well as the metabolism of cocoa and its affects on other systems in the human body.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on December 30, 2008 10:00 AM