You will be surprised: "A tasty food item" which could help ward off the risk of early death

A nutrition expert has revealed a delicious food that can have a significant impact on cardiovascular disease, which may help ward off the risk of premature death.

Professor Tim Spector, a nutrition expert and professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London and founder of the Zoe health app, explains that chocolate can benefit your heart, boost gut bacteria, and prevent you from early death, as long as you choose the right type.

Spector pointed out that delicious cocoa hides great health benefits. It actually outperforms some "superfoods" (a marketing term for foods that supposedly have health benefits) when it comes to key chemicals.

The nutrition expert said, via his Instagram account: “If you like chocolate, this is good news for you. Dark chocolate is a healthy food and we must start talking about it in this context. It is full of polyphenols. It is a source of fiber.”

In fact, one study found that the total polyphenol content of cocoa powder exceeds that of “superfoods” like berries and pomegranates.

Polyphenols such as flavanols act as “fuel” for gut microbes, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and reducing the number of pathogenic or harmful bacteria.

Surprisingly, a piece of dark chocolate can also contain the amount of fiber found in plant foods such as vegetables.

Professor Spector said: “The one thing that always surprises people is the amount of fiber found in chocolate, about 7-12g in 100g of dark chocolate with a percentage of 70% cocoa, which increases with the percentage of cocoa.”

Aside from its high polyphenol and fiber content, cocoa can also promote longevity.

“There was a huge study recently that took 20,000 people who were given cocoa extracts,” Spector explains. “They followed them for 3.5 years. And compared to people who took a placebo, the results showed a 27% reduction in people dying from heart disease if they were taking cocoa supplements.” “So this is great news.”

The professor recommended making sure to choose types that do not contain emulsifiers and contain the highest percentage of cocoa so that you can enjoy the taste while reducing the sugar content, while increasing the content of polyphenols and fiber.

Source: Express - Publication date: 19/03/2024 - https://r.rtarabic.com/x6ll