What effect do bitter chocolate and cocoa have on the blood — do they dilute it or thicken it?

Nutritionists claim that foods high in fat and carbohydrates negatively affect the functions of the cardiovascular system, due to an increase in blood viscosity. Also, regular consumption of fatty foods contributes to an increase in the concentration of lipids in the blood plasma, from which blood clots and plaques subsequently form.

But at the same time, chocolate, according to many, helps to thin the blood. Is it true or not? What is the reason for this? What do nutritionists and scientists say about this? How much chocolate can you eat daily without fear of negative health consequences?

According to the conducted research, regular consumption of cocoa and dark chocolate reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and makes it less viscous.

Other studies indicate that eating dark chocolate reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

The effect of chocolate on blood viscosity

Traditional black (bitter) reduces blood viscosity. But this property does not apply to the dessert itself, but to the cocoa that it contains (in bitter chocolate variations, the cocoa powder content is about 75%).

Theobromine contained in cocoa butter contributes to this. Its properties can generally be compared with regular caffeine – it is also expands the lumen of the vessels , increases their elasticity, and at the same time normalizes blood pressure.

But everything else that is part of the chocolate can really contribute to an increase in viscosity, so you still shouldn't abuse such a dessert.

Total, bitter chocolate really dilutes the blood. White and milk chocolate have almost no effect on its density. But chocolate molasses in most cases harms the cardiovascular system , since it is based on a fairly small amount of cocoa. That is, natural chocolate should be preferred, but chocolate bars (especially if they still contain a large amount of nougat) are recommended to be discarded.

4 facts about the effects on the cardiovascular system

In general, eating chocolate has the following effect on cardiovascular system :

1. Improves vascular wall tone. It helps to increase blood pressure a little, which will be useful for hypotension (and sometimes for migraines if it is accompanied by low blood pressure).
2. Improves metabolic processes involving blood in the brain. Chocolate improves mood , because it promotes the production of serotonin, which stimulates functionality and brain activity . That is why cocoa is often compared in terms of effectiveness in this regard with coffee beans .
3. Is an excellent prophylactic against atherosclerosis. The probability of atherosclerotic plaques with regular chocolate consumption is really reduced. But it will not help to destroy the formed ones – this nuance should be taken into account.
4. Increases the concentration of red blood cells. This will be useful for oxygen starvation or frequent shortness of breath (even if it is caused by regular smoking).

More 5 scientific facts about the benefits of chocolate for the heart and blood vessels see the separate material on our website.

What about liquid cocoa?

Cocoa consists of almost 50% vegetable fats, but they are easily digestible, oxidized even at the stage of being in the stomach (under the action of certain groups of enzymes).

Also available in cocoa a large number of phytoncides , theobromine, which helps to thin the blood. Ideally, it should be consumed as a coffee drink without added sugar, but it tastes quite nasty in this case.

Another feature of cocoa – it contains about 25 different antioxidants , which slow down the oxidation processes of shaped blood bodies. These include tiarin, polyphenol, arginine, dopamine (it is also a neurotransmitter), tryptophan. Most of these antioxidants are not synthesized in the body from simple amino acids.

How much can I eat every day?

The daily intake of chocolate for a healthy person is only 50 – 70 grams per day . This applies specifically to bitter chocolate. Moreover, it should be consumed in small portions, but about 5-7 times a day.

The best option is to eat 1 "square", eating about ½ of a standard tile throughout the day. If more, then it will already be excessive in terms of carbohydrates and fats, so you can get an increase in body fat mass.

 

Contraindications

Contraindications for eating chocolate are:

1. Diabetes mellitus with unstable blood sugar levels. During remission, when it is possible to keep the glucose concentration normal, a small amount of dessert is allowed, but no more than 3 times a week, so as not to provoke hyperglycemia (or hypoglycemia if the patient is injecting insulin).
2. Allergy. Chocolate is a strong allergen. According to statistics, it causes a food reaction in almost 2% of all inhabitants of the earth, but at the same time it is expressed in only 0.01%, that is, it is accompanied by a rash, edema.
3. Obesity. Eating more than 50 – 70 grams of chocolate during the day is almost guaranteed to lead to an increase in the fatty subcutaneous layer. Accordingly, with chronic obesity, it will have to be completely abandoned.
4. Acute caries. Due to the high content of carbohydrates, it can damage the enamel, aggravate the course of caries.

You should also not give chocolate often children under the age of 5-6 years , as this can be the main cause of hyperactivity (a nervous disorder, according to neurologists). And we should not forget about the so-called "chocolate addiction", which, in fact, is an addiction to elevated serotonin levels. If chocolate is subsequently sharply excluded from the diet, this will lead to the development of depression and stress. This is especially dangerous for children.

Interesting video

And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:

 

Conclusion

In total, chocolate can reduce blood viscosity, but this is relevant only for natural varieties with a high cocoa content (since it reduces blood density, partially increases the alkaline balance).

Milk chocolate and its other surrogates negatively affect the functionality of the cardiovascular system. The daily norm is no more than 70 grams, divided into 5 & 8212; meals (the smaller the portion, the better).