Recently published, another research article about the benefits of chocolate! In this case, the Danish are following a large group of people, ages 50 to 64 over a number of years to find out how their consumption of chocolate affects their health. In this study, they looked at atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the upper chambers of your heart quiver. The atria are out of sync and do not work with the ventricles effectively. Over a period averaging around 13.5 years, 3,346 people had atrial fibrillation. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was 10% lower in people who 1 to 3 servings of chocolate per month than people who ate less that 1 serving per month. Interestingly, the rate of atrial fibrillation was 17% lower in people who at 1 weekly serving (30 grams) of chocolate per month and 20% lower for 2 to 6 weekly servings.
Several caveats have been noted, specifically there may have been other factors that affected the results, including educational and socio-economic level of the people in the study. Also risk factors associated with atrial fibrillation, like sleep apnea and kidney disease weren’t taken into account. Remember as well that a prospective cohort study doesn’t provide as strong evidence as a randomized case control study.
But as a chocolate lover, finding evidence to support my chocolate eating habit is good news.
Here’s an infographic shared with us by the Cleveland Clinic.
I’m participating in COSMOS Study via WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) consuming 2 capsules of 600 mg cocoa flavinols and 1 Centrum.