Chocolate without bacteria is a waste of money
The benefits of dark chocolate for the heart were provided by intestinal bacteria
as it turned out, beneficial intestinal bacteria break it down to substances with anti-inflammatory properties, which have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. The results of the study were presented at the 247th National Meeting and Exhibition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which was held this Thursday in Dallas (The precise reason for the health benefits of dark chocolate: mystery solved).
The health benefits of dark chocolate have been known for centuries, but the exact reason has remained unclear until now. Now scientists from Louisiana State University have discovered that beneficial intestinal microorganisms such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus) multiply perfectly using chocolate for their vital functions.
"When you eat dark chocolate, these bacteria break it down and actively grow, producing anti–inflammatory compounds," explained Maria Moore, one of the researchers. And when these compounds are absorbed by the body, absorbed into the blood through the intestinal wall, they reduce inflammatory processes in the tissues of the cardiovascular system, which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
This study was the first to show the effect of dark chocolate on various types of intestinal bacteria. In their experiments, scientists studied the effect of cocoa powder, using a model of the human digestive tract consisting of a number of modified test tubes to simulate normal digestion. Then they subjected the indigestible (ballast) substances to oxygen-free cleavage by fecal bacteria.
Cocoa powder, the main ingredient of chocolate, contains polyphenols (antioxidants), for example, catechin and epicatechin, and a small amount of dietary fiber. All these components are practically not digested, but when they reach the colon, they begin to be broken down by the beneficial microbes living there. At the same time, dietary fibers are fermented, and large polyphenolic polymers are metabolized to smaller and easily absorbed molecules. These small molecules have anti-inflammatory activity.
The main author of the work, John Finley, noted that the combination of cocoa dietary fibers with prebiotics (food components that are not digested in the gastrointestinal tract, but are fermented by the normal microflora of the large intestine and stimulate its growth) is likely to improve the overall health of a person and help convert polyphenols into anti-inflammatory compounds.
Thus, according to Professor Finley, people can increase the beneficial properties of dark chocolate for their health if they use it in combination with fruits, for example, such as pomegranate, banana or acai berries.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru21.03.2014