Chocolate Cholesterol

Lactitol. Lactitol (4-0-/ -D-galactopyranosyl-D-sorbitol), is a synthetic sugar alcohol produced on reduction of lactose, usually using Raney nickel. It can be crystallized as a mono- or di-hydrate. Lactitol is not metabolized by higher animals it is relatively sweet and hence has potential as a non-nutritive sweetener. It is claimed that lactitol reduces the absorption of sucrose, blood and liver cholesterol levels and to be anticariogenic. It has applications in low-calorie foods (jams, marmalade, chocolate, baked goods) it is non-hygroscopic and can be used to coat moisture-sensitive foods, e.g. sweets. 

Dr. Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton believes that there is something to the chocolate effect, and he came to Belmont to tell us about his intriguing research. Vinson has determined the total polyphenol content of various chocolates and has also found a way of measuring how effective these mixtures are in preventing the oxidation of human ldl in a test tube. In other words, he has calculated a phenol antioxidant index, which takes into account both the quantity and the quality of these desirable substances. At the symposium Vinson reported that cocoa powder and dark chocolate are the best, followed by milk chocolate. Instant cocoa mixes trail the field. Then Vinson delivered the kicker chocolate has more, and better, polyphenols than fruits or vegetables and more than red wine. A forty-gram bar of dark chocolate has as many polyphenols as a cup of that widely promoted antioxidant cocktail we call tea. But there is still the matter of chocolate s fat content. Researchers tell us, though, that at least half of it is stearic acid, which does not raise blood cholesterol. 

Mursu, J., Voutilainen, S., Nurmi, T., Rissanen, T. H., Virtanen, J. K., Kaikkonen, J., Nyyssonen, K., Salonen, J. T. (2004). Dark chocolate consumption increases HDL cholesterol concentration and chocolate fatty acids may inhibit lipid peroxidation in healthy humans. Free Rad. Biol. Med., 37, 1351-1359. 

On a weight basis, the concentration of antioxidants in chocolate is higher than in red wine or green tea, and 20 times higher than in tomatoes. Another piece of good news for chocolate lovers is that stearic acid, the main fatty acid in chocolate, does not appear to raise blood cholesterol levels the way other saturated fatty acids do. Dark chocolate contains more than twice the level of antioxidants found in milk chocolate. Unfortunately, white chocolate contains no antioxidants. 

Too much cholesterol How often have you heard this admonition as you were about to dig into your favorite three-egg breakfast or chocolate-fudge dessert The reason for the warning is that high levels of cholesterol have been implicated in atherosclerosis and heart disease. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaques that can narrow or even block your blood vessels. In the heart, such an event can cause a heart attack. Plaques can break and travel through your bloodstream, causing havoc elsewhere. For example, a blocked blood vessel in the brain can lead to a stroke. 

---