EAT CHOCOLATE!

Yes, that's right... chocolate is GOOD for you.  I thought that would get your attention!  Want to know why chocolate is good for you?  Then, read on!

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has released a video claiming that chocolate contains hundreds of compounds, many of which a beneficial to health.  Other studies have established that chocolate contains several beneficial compounds, one of which is resveratrol, a compound that may not only protect your brain and nervous system, but it may actually prolong your life too.

Dark chocolate is also good at fighting inflammation.  Other good inflammation fighters are turmeric and the mediterranean diet, both of which reduce the inflammatory process underlying many chronic and degenerative diseases rife in the developed world.

The Feel Good Factor:

Some people get a nice "feel good" boost after eating chocolate.  However, there is actually a chemical reason for this boost.  Anandamide, a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that temporarily blocks the feelings of depression and pain.  Anandamide is a derivative of the Sanskrit word "bliss", chocolate not only produces this compound but it also produces other chemicals that prolong that blissful feeling produced by the anandamide.  However, anandamide does more than just make us feel good, Daniele Piomelli from the University of California, said:

"Anandamide is also synthesized in areas of the brain that are important in memory and higher thought processes and in areas that control movement.  That implies that anandamide's function is not just to produce bliss."

Anandamide has been compared to the sensation you get from marijuana, but Piomelli says,

"We are talking about something much, much, much, much milder than a high."

Comfort food or something better?

Going beyond the feel good factor of the anandamide in chocolate, another ACS study published in the Journal of Proteome Research, states that chocolate could be the new anti-anxiety drug.  The study revealed that one and a half ounces of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks reduced stress hormone levels.  The participants in the study were all classified as "highly stressed", at the end of the two-week study period they were all found to have lower levels of coritsol - the stress hormone also known as "fight or flight" hormone.

However, you must make sure you are eating dark chocolate and as organic as possible.  Many chocolate brands are high in sugar and unhealthy saturated fats.  A study by the Cleveland Clinic said:

"...Be careful about the type of dark chocolate you choose: chewy caramel-marchmallow-nut-covered dark chocolate is by no means a heart-healthy food option.  Be aware that milk chocolate does not have the same healthy effects as unadulterated dark chocolate, because milk often prevents absorption of polyphenols.

"It is also important to remember the word moderation.  There's a measured and tested amount of chocolate - 6.7g a day (or one small square of chocolate two or three times a week) - that provides the best health benefits.  While it undoubtedly comes as a pleasant surprise that chocolate is actually good for you, eating the right amount is crucial if you want it to be a benefit and not a liability."

The Antioxidant Factor:

One of the most important reasons for making chocolate a part of your diet may be the antioxidants it provides.  Few foods have such a good potential for antioxidants as dark chocolate.  A wide range of accumulating scientific research link its consumption to over 40 important health benefits.

The formation of free radicals - atoms, ions and molecules with unpaired electrons - in your cells can damage your DNA to the point that your risk of developing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer are elevated.

The antioxidant polyphenols in chocolate are so important because they have the ability to stop free radical mediated oxidation.  This decreases the risk of those and other diseases by directly interfering with one of the major preventable causes of chronic degenerative diseases.  As stated in ACS's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; naturally occurring polyphenols in cocoa actually boost levels of HDL - also known as "good" cholesterol, while reducing the atherogenicity of LDL or "bad" cholesterol by preventing oxidation.  The Cleveland Clinic study supported this by noting:

"Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke.  If your body does not have enough antioxidants to combat the amount of oxidation that occurs, it can become damaged by free radicals.  For example, an increase in oxidation can cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad" cholesterol, to form plaque on the artery walls."

The Brain Boost and Energy Factor:

We all know that chocolate is a natural stimulant and can provide a boost in both physical and brain energy, primarily from the caffeine and theobromine.  One clinical study with 24 healthy female participants showed "synergistic" effects on cognition and mood, which translated into improved blood pressure.  Studies have also shown that chocolate can inhibit brain inflammation that causes migraines.

Flavonols are the main flavonoids found in cocoa and chocolate.  A pilot study evaluated the link between cerebral blood flow and a dose of flavonol-rich cocoa, this showed a notable increase in the cerebral blood flow to the brain.  The results from the study indicated that the flavonols in cocoa have the potential to protect against vascular impairment.

A Johns Hopkins study found that dark chocolate may protect the brain from damage after suffering a stroke by increasing cellular signals.  Mice that had ingested epicatechin, a compound found in dark chocolate, suffered significantly less brain damage after suffering an induced stroke than mice that had not been given epicatechin.  Therefore epicatechin may actually protect the brain.

The Heart Factor:

Following on from the previous point the ACS studies found that the polyphenols and catechins in chocolate may decrease the stroke risk in men.  The epicatechins, which help prevent clotting and inflammation are helpful in preventing some types of strokes.

A 7-study meta-analysis set out to find a link between chocolate consumption and certain cardiometabolic disorders such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and metabolic syndrome and all the related problems to these diseases such as hypertension, elevated fasting glucose and triglycerides, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity.  However, what they discovered was that chocolate consumption, especially the raw unprocessed varieties, did not have negative effects and actually reduced the risk of such medical disorders.

If you love chocolate please be careful which chocolate you buy.  It must be dark chocolate with nothing more added, no nuts, caramel, milk, etc..  Also be wary of the brand you buy.  Lots of brands like Nestlé use GMO products.  It's better to buy from an organic store that can certify their chocolate is 100% organic.

Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

How food can give you a good night's sleep... or not

Back in March I wrote a post on the need for sleep.  Sleep is essential to good health, both mentally and physically.  So, if you are having problems getting to sleep at night here are a few tips on what to eat and what not to eat.

There are several foods that will promote good sleep, relax tense muscles, quieten an overactive brain and promote the sleep-inducing hormones serotonin and melatonin.

1. Honey - try a relaxing herbal tea with a drizzle of honey.  Too much sugar is stimulating, however a little glucose sends a message to your brain to turn off a recently discovered neurotransmitter called orexin which is linked to alertness.  The natural sugar in honey promotes relaxation and raises insulin slightly which allows the amino acid tryptophan (precursor to Serotonin) to enter the brain more easily.  Just a small spoonful before bed can help you get a good night's sleep.
2. Cherries - Eat fresh, dried or tart cherries about an hour before going to bed or before taking a
   
   flight that you want to sleep on.  Cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin.  Melatonin is a chemical that controls the body's internal clock and helps regulate sleep.  It is also currently being studied for its anti-aging properties.  If you don't like cherries then you're in luck, melatonin is now available from health shops and pharmacies in tablet form.  My advice is to start with the lowest dose you can find, take a tablet an hour before bed and then make sure your room is dark and the TV isn't on!  The reason I say to start with the lowest dose is that I have only found ONE side effect so far... two people I know who have tried it have told me that after 2-3 days of taking melatonin in tablet form they became very bad tempered!
3. Flaxseeds - My husband often accuses me of being on "spin cycle" when I have a problem that is going round and round my head and stopping me sleeping.  Flaxseeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids which is also a natural mood lifter.  Fatty acids, in general, are involved in inducing and maintaining sleep so a spoonful of flaxseed in a yogurt or mixed with a bowl of healthy cereal before bed can help you on your way to the land of nod.  Also the fibre is great for your gut!
4. Almonds - I am a total fan of raw almonds.  They are packed full of wonderful things such as Vitamin E and calcium, the good thing is they also contain tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin and a healthy amount of magnesium that relaxes muscles.  They also supply proteins that will help you to maintain a stable blood sugar level while you sleep and they switch off your alert mode and put you into a rest cycle.  Just a handful of raw almonds will be enough to help your body relax.
5. Bananas - As you probably already know, bananas are a great source of magnesium and potassium which are both natural muscle relaxants.  They also contain the amino acid L-tryptophan, which in turns is converted into 5-HTP in the brain, this is then converted to serotonin and melatonin - an all round winner!

Now, for the bad news.  There are also several foods out there that do the complete opposite of the above mentioned 5.  There are, of course, foods that stop you getting a good night's sleep.  I have to say, they are pretty obvious:

1. Coffee - well we all know that anything with caffeine in it is a no no just before bed.  But there are less obvious caffeine fixes other than coffee.  Tea, CocaCola, Pepsi, etc., even decaffeinated coffee still has a certain amount in it.  The best rule to follow is no caffeine after 2pm.
2. Alcohol -   Lots of people find that a glass of wine before bed or a small nightcap can help them fall asleep quicker.  However, alcohol quite often provokes a restless night's sleep, making the person wake up often during the night, which in the longterm leads to sleep deprivation. 
3. Dark chocolate -  Now, I'm a chocolate lover!  The good thing about plain 70% cocoa chocolate is that it is packed full of antioxidants - so if you need an excuse to eat chocolate there you have it.  However, it also contains caffeine and a stimulant called theobromine that can increase your heart rate and provoke sleeplessness.  So your best bet is to eat chocolate up to 5 hours before bed.
4. Spicy Foods - A study published in The International Journal of Psychophysiology by Australian researchers noted that on nights that included spicy meals, there were notable changes in the sleep patterns of the study subjects meaning that they slept less over all, taking longer to fall asleep and spending less time in both the light phase of sleep called Stage 2 and the deep slow-wave Stages 3 and 4.
5. Fatty Foods - There seems to be a strong connection between the circadian processes of sleep and metabolism relating to the processing of fatty foods such as fried foods, fatty meats and high fat dairy.  Research has shown that people who often eat high-fat foods experience a disruption of their sleep cycles.  Eating a heavy meal before bed activates digestion, which can mean you will have to get up frequently during the night to go to the bathroom.  Leave heavy meals for breakfast and lunchtime and eat a light evening meal.

Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com