Chocolate compounds fight high cholesterol

(NaturalNews) Chocolate has received a lot of attention for being a treasure trove of nutritional goodness. Polyphenols in cacao beans are linked to promoting heart, brain, and liver health, which has sparked renewed interest in chocolate as a medicinal food. And a new study adds to the growing list of benefits, showing that chocolate polyphenols also help to lower bad cholesterol. Published in the journal Diabetic Medicine , the study tested the effects of polyphenol-rich chocolate in a group of 12 volunteers with type-2 diabetes. After 16 weeks, the researchers from Hull University in the U.K. discovered that the polyphenols helped lower participants’ bad cholesterol levels while raising good cholesterol levels. “Chocolate with a high cocoa content should be included in the diet of individuals with type-2 diabetes as part of a sensible, balanced approach to diet and lifestyle,” said professor Steve Akin, author of the study. Back in August, NaturalNews covered a Swedish study that found similar results (http://www.naturalnews.com/029559_cocoa_cardiovascular.html). It also showed that high-flavanol chocolate that has been minimally processed is much different than the highly-processed chocolate candy sold in most grocery stores. Actual cacao beans are rich in vital nutrients, including alkaloid bitters like theobromine (a different substance than the harmful bromine chemical), which stimulates the heart muscle and dilates blood vessels. This compound and others provide demonstrable benefits in lowering high blood pressure and maintaining healthy arteries. Processed chocolate, however, has been stripped of most or all of these nutrients. Add in the bad fats and refined sugars and you are left with a chocolate product that is actually bad for your health. So when consuming chocolate, be sure to look for unprocessed, superfood varieties like those made by Transition Nutrition (www.TransitionNutrition.com), Empowered Chocolate (www.EmpoweredFoods.com), Sacred Chocolate (http://www.sacredchocolate.com/raw-chocolate-sacred-chocolate.html), and WildBar (www.WildBar.info). Sources for this story include: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11554951

Green tea blocks lung cancer

(NaturalNews) Drinking at least a cup of green tea a day may significantly decrease a person’s risk of lung cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Shan Medical University in Taiwan. Cancer rates are significantly lower in Asia than in other parts of the world, and high consumption of green tea has been suggested as one of the potential explanations. Laboratory studies have suggested that the polyphenols in green tea can halt the growth of cancer cells, but the results of human studies have been mixed. In the current study, researchers analyzed green tea consumption, smoking, genetic factors and lung cancer risk in more than 500 people. They found that among non-smokers, those who did not drink tea had five times the lung cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day. Among smokers, not drinking green tea was linked to 12 times the cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day. A genetic analysis of all the study participants revealed that a specific variant of the gene known as IGF1 was associated with the correlation between higher tea consumption and lower cancer risk. Among those without this variant, green tea consumption had little effect on cancer risk. This could explain the inconsistent results of prior studies. Health experts warned that whatever the benefits of green tea might be, they do not outweigh the danger posed by smoking. “Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals,” said Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research U.K. “Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet. The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit.” Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8453628.stm.