This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Candy Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Candy Industry logo
  • News
    • Candy and Snack Trends
    • Supplier News
  • Candy & Confections
    • Chocolate
      • Gourmet Chocolate
    • Better-for-you confections
      • Energy/Snack/Nutrition Bars
    • Gums & Mints
    • Gummies & Jellies
    • Hard Candies
    • Licorice
    • Novelty Candies
    • Snacks
    • Sugar-Free Candy
    • Vegetarian
  • New Products
    • Chocolate New Products
    • Non-Chocolate New Products
    • New Novelty Candy
    • New Snack Products
  • Ingredients
    • Artificial and Natural Sweeteners
    • Candy Flavorings
    • Cannabis
    • Chocolate Ingredients
    • Fats & Oils
    • Fruits & Nuts
    • Healthy Additives
    • Natural Candy Colors
    • Starches
    • Sustainability
  • Top 100
  • Technology
  • Shows
    • Events Calendar
    • Show Coverage
  • Kettle
    • Kettle Awards
    • Kettle Recipients
  • Opinion
    • Blog
  • The Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Editions
    • Buyers Guide
    • Single Copies
    • Classifieds
  • More
    • Video
    • Classifieds
    • Market Research
    • Webinars
    • eNewsletters
    • Associations
    • Candy Industry Store
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Top 100 & Sweet 60
  • Contact
    • Advertise
Home » Researchers discover exactly why dark chocolate is so good for you
News

Researchers discover exactly why dark chocolate is so good for you

Bacteria in stomach transforms dark chocolate into anti-inflammatory compounds.

dark choc
March 19, 2014
Crystal Lindell
KEYWORDS dark chocolate / Louisiana State University
Reprints
No Comments
dark choc
Dark chocolate is beneficial for the heart because gut bacteria ferment it into healthful antioxidants. Photo provided by Artem Barinov Photography/iStock/Thinkstock.

The health benefits of eating dark chocolate have been extolled for centuries, but the exact reason has remained a mystery — until now, at least according to researchers at Louisiana State University.

They found that certain bacteria in the stomach gobble the chocolate and ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds, which are good for the heart.

Their findings were unveiled at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society.

“We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the ‘good’ ones and the ‘bad’ ones,” explains Maria Moore, an undergraduate student and one of the study’s researchers.

“The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate,” she says. “When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory.”

The other bacteria in the gut are associated with inflammation and can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. These include some Clostridia and some E. coli.

“When these compounds are absorbed by the body, they lessen the inflammation of cardiovascular tissue, reducing the long-term risk of stroke,” says John Finley, Ph.D., who led the work. He said that this study is the first to look at the effects of dark chocolate on the various types of bacteria in the stomach.

The team tested three cocoa powders using a model digestive tract, comprised of a series of modified test tubes, to simulate normal digestion. They then subjected the non-digestible materials to anaerobic fermentation using human fecal bacteria, according to Finley.

He explains that cocoa powder, an ingredient in chocolate, contains several polyphenolic or antioxidant compounds such as catechin and epicatechin, and a small amount of dietary fiber. Both components are poorly digested and absorbed, but when they reach the colon, the desirable microbes take over.

“In our study we found that the fiber is fermented and the large polyphenolic polymers are metabolized to smaller molecules, which are more easily absorbed. These smaller polymers exhibit anti-inflammatory activity,” Finley says.

He also notes that combining the fiber in cocoa with prebiotics is likely to improve a person’s overall health and help convert polyphenolics in the stomach into anti-inflammatory compounds.

“When you ingest prebiotics, the beneficial gut microbial population increases and outcompetes any undesirable microbes in the gut, like those that cause stomach problems,” he adds.

Prebiotics are carbohydrates found in foods like raw garlic and cooked whole wheat flour that humans can’t digest but that good bacteria like to eat. This food for your gut’s helpful inhabitants also comes in dietary supplements.

Finley says people could experience even more health benefits when dark chocolate is combined with solid fruits like pomegranates and acai. Looking to the future, he says that the next step would be for industry to do just that.

This study was supported by the Louisiana State College of Agriculture and a Louisiana AgCenter Undergraduate Research Grant.

The ASC meeting, attended by thousands of scientists, features more than 10,000 reports on new advances in science and other topics. It is being held at the Dallas Convention Center and area hotels through Thursday.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.

Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to Candy Industry Magazine.

Recent Articles by Crystal Lindell

How emulsifiers help with fat reduction

Millennials love self-checkouts, but I hate them

Report: Demand for synthetic emulsifiers expected to decrease

Mars’ new vegan Galaxy chocolate bars highlight growing trend

Corbion offers non-PHO emulsifier solutions

Crystal-lindell-author-photo
Crystal Lindell worked primarily at daily newspapers before joining BNP Media in 2010. While here she has worked on Candy Industry Magazine, Food Engineering Magazine and Food Safety Strategies. She holds a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois – Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Illinois University. And her favorite breakfast is a cup of espresso and Twix bar.

Related Articles

Why researchers are using an ultrasound on Belgian chocolate

Why To’ak charges $260 for a single chocolate bar

Chocolate could be good for the brain, research says

Mars accepting applications for chocolate history research grant

Related Products

Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner, 2E

Packaging Sustainability: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Package Design

Confectionery and Chocolate Engineering: Principles and Applications, 2nd Edition

Beckett's Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use, 5th Edition

Related Events

Preserving Chocolate for Future Generations

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Mobile App

More Videos

Popular Stories

Kinder surprise candy

Kinder brand seeing success in U.S. confectionery market

Sugarfina

Bristol Luxury Group buys Sugarfina for $15.1M

John Downs NCA

NCA’s John Downs on cannabis: ‘Things are happening so fast’

FDA logo

FDA: CBD not generally recognized as safe for human, animal food

Mars Galaxy vegan bars

Mars’ new vegan Galaxy chocolate bars highlight growing trend

CIN_ProductOfWeek_360-1.jpg

Events

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Healthier Food Options

A recent Nielsen report shows that consumers are calling for healthier options from food manufacturers. Do you think consumers will actually buy healthier versions of their favorite candy and snacks if they’re made available?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Natural Food Flavors and Colorants, 2nd Edition

Natural Food Flavors and Colorants, 2nd Edition

Although many foods are appealing, and even perceived as natural, in spite of containing synthetic additives, consumer increasingly prefer food products which are fully natural.

See More Products

CIN_ProductSubmissions_360.jpg

Candy Industry Magazine

june 2019 cover

June 2019

The June 2019 issue features an interview with a natural candy color specialist, a look at how chocolate bar makers can stand out from the crowd, our global state of the candy industry, and more.
View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • Archives
    • Buyers Guide
    • Current Issue
    • Contact Staff
    • Food and Beverage Group
    • List Rental
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletter
    • Order Reprints
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample
  • Helpful Links
    • Global Top 100
    • North American Sweet 60
    • New Product Form
    • Connect
    • Want More
    • Privacy Policy
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Galleries
  • Advertise

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing