Eat healthily!
This is what happens to our bodies when we eat dark chocolate. Eat healthily!
Many people love dark chocolate, but not everyone knows that there are certain intestinal bacteria in our body that simply “adore” chocolate and, when they enter the body, they turn it into anti-inflammatory compounds, informs Ukr.Media.
These bacteria have a positive effect on the body as a whole, and especially on the cardiovascular system.
A study of the effects of dark chocolate on the human body was conducted at the University of Louisiana under the direction of Dr. John Finley. The study examined three different types of cocoa powder used as a base and their effect on a model of the digestive tract that mimics the in the vitro digestion process. The undigested compounds were then subjected to anaerobic fermentation by intestinal bacteria.
Maria Moore, the co-author of the study, said: “It is known that there are two types of germs in the gut – good and bad. Good bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, interact with chocolate. When you eat dark chocolate, these bacteria grow and ferment, producing anti-inflammatory compounds.
Dr. Finley emphasizes that cocoa powder contains many polyphenol compounds (or antioxidants), such as catechin and epicatechin, as well as a small amount of dietary fiber. These components are poorly digested and assimilated, but when they reach the colon, the bacteria do everything themselves. The fiber is fermented, and large polyphenolic polymers break down into smaller ones that are easily digested. These small polymers have anti-inflammatory activity.
“When these compounds are absorbed by the body, inflammation in the cardiovascular tissues is reduced, and thus the long-term risk of stroke is reduced,” says Dr. Finley. In addition, good dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and has a very positive effect on brain function. So there is a great reason to stock up on good medicine and make a good contribution to your health.
