http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2005/050404.2.htm

In Chocolate, More Cocoa Means Higher Antioxidant Capacity
By Jim Core
April 4, 2005


Cocoa beans—the source of chocolate— in a cacao pod.

Cocoa powder contains more beneficial antioxidants than other chocolate products, but processing decreases their contents.

Those are the results of a study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their cooperators interested in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and procyanidin levels of six chocolate and cocoa products: natural (unsweetened) cocoa powders, Dutch processed (alkalinized) cocoa powders, unsweetened baking chocolates, semi-sweet chocolate baking chips, dark chocolates, and milk chocolates.

Chocolate and cocoa powder are derived from beans that contain hefty quantities of natural antioxidants called flavonoids. The researchers found natural cocoa contains the highest capacity of the antioxidant procyanidin. Antioxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Ronald L. Prior, an ARS nutritionist at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (ACNC) in Little Rock, Ark., presented the study's results in San Diego, Calif., today with Liwei Gu and Xianli Wu of ACNC and Jim Harnly, a chemist at the ARS Beltsville (Md.) Human Nutrition Research Center. They presented the findings at Experimental Biology 2005, an annual meeting that brings together 16,000 biological and biomedical scientists from dozens of different disciplines.

The researchers found natural cocoa powders contained the highest levels of TAC and procyanidins, which were found to be the dominant antioxidant in chocolates. Milk chocolates, which contain the least amount of cocoa solids, had the lowest TAC and procyanidin levels. Baking chocolates contained fewer procyanidins, because they contained more fat (50-60 percent) than natural cocoa. Alkalinization, used to reduce the acidity and raise the pH of cocoa, such as Dutch chocolates, was found to markedly reduce procyanidin content. Researchers concluded that chocolates containing higher amounts of cocoa ingredients have higher procyanidin contents, therefore, higher antioxidant capacities.

Nine major manufacturers provided commercially available chocolate and cocoa samples and the National Institute of Standards and Technology provided its Standard Reference chocolate for analysis. The study was partially funded by a grant from the American Cocoa Research Institute.

ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

so which is the best? im confused..

yeah - i wish they would provide us with a bit more info than the 'duh - more cocoa=more antioxidants!'. which brands are better? which form of processing, etc.
but give it time, i guess, i'm sure we'll find out eventually. I can't wait - this is one 'functional food' that I doubt they'll need to make 'pill-concentrates' of!!

So, it's fairly simple.. go to a gourmet chocolate site and pick a bar with the highest cocoa percentage. The tasting notes might also affect your choice. None of these are specifically low-carb, but with only 10 or 20% sugar the actual carb counts are pretty low.

http://www.chocolatetradingco.com/b...egory.asp?ID=42

And I take from it (and another article from a few months back) that natural, unsweetened cocoa powder is very high in antioxidants (earlier article indicated it is much higher in antioxidants than green tea, for example).

I still have yet to find Hershey's new dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa...

They said, nonalkalinized cocoa is better than alkalinized. And dark chocolate is better than milk because it has more cocoa. I don't know if there is such a thing as nonalkalinized cocoa widely available, but I make my own sugar-free chocolate with cocoa, coconut oil, cream and Splenda and it is GOOD. Plus it is a good source of antioxidants, as well as the beneficial effects of mid-length fatty acids in coconut oil. And no gas from the storebought SF chocolates.

Here is another article that provides more details as well as clarification of the ranking of antioxidants in various chocolate sources.

Study Reveals Differing Amounts of Naturally Occurring Flavanols in Chocolate and Cocoa Powder
Monday April 4, 1:00 pm ET
- Natural Cocoa Powders, Unsweetened Baking Chocolates Rank Highest in Findings

SAN DIEGO, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study evaluating total amounts of flavanols and antioxidant capacity in cocoa and chocolate shows that antioxidants are found in a range of chocolate products -- but more so in those with a higher cocoa content.
Scientists from ARS, the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, presented the findings today at Experimental Biology 2005, an international scientific conference held in San Diego. The study was funded in part by the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI), the research arm of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA).

In this study, the scientists found that the chocolates ranked in antioxidant capacity from highest amount to lowest were natural cocoa powder, unsweetened baking chocolate, alkalinized or "Dutch" cocoa powder, dark chocolates, semi sweet chocolate baking chips, and milk chocolates.

The results were based on chocolate samples from commercially available products under nine brands, as well as reference standards provided by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). ARS scientists, located at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Center, Brunswick Labs, and the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center analyzed these samples in a blind test for flavanol content and antioxidant capacity.

Flavanols are the main flavonoids found in cocoa and chocolate. Research over the past decade has identified flavonoids as showing diverse beneficial physiological and antioxidant effects. Flavonoids are compounds also found in fruits, vegetables, and certain beverages such as tea, red wine, and grape juice.

"These results indicate that products derived from cocoa beans, which come from the cacao tree, also contain flavanols, with the highest amount in natural cocoa powders," explains Dr. Leah Porter, vice president of scientific affairs for the CMA. "This study also demonstrates that chocolate products containing higher amounts of cocoa have higher antioxidant capacity."

"The findings provide further scientific evidence that cocoa is a rich source of antioxidant activity, such as other antioxidant-rich foods including red wine, cranberries and blueberries," said CMA President Lynn Bragg. "This research increases knowledge of a wonderfully familiar food, and comes at a time when we are finding new ways to use cocoa and chocolate (e.g., as an ingredient and flavor) in a variety of foods. There is a chocolate for everyone and it can be enjoyed -- in moderate portions -- as part of a balanced diet."

According to Chef Carole Bloom, a chocolate expert and award-winning author of Chocolate Lover's Cookbook for Dummies, All About Chocolate, and Truffles, Candies, and Confections, there are many ways to incorporate cocoa and chocolate into a diet in a way that enhances the flavor of healthy foods. Some suggestions include:


-- Sprinkle cocoa powder on popcorn, warm and cold coffee drinks, low fat
or non fat plain yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, and baked pears, apples
or other fruit

-- Mix small bite-size pieces of dark chocolate in with a homemade trail
mix of nuts and dried fruits

-- Add chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs to fresh fruit cups, salad greens,
or cold cereals such as granola or warm cereals such as oatmeal or
cream of wheat

-- Dip fresh or dried fruits such as strawberries, bananas or dried
apricots into chocolate

-- Add chocolate chips into easy to bake vegetable breads or cakes such as
banana bread, pumpkin bread, or carrot cake

-- Incorporate into sauces such as Mexican mole and use with chicken,
fish, turkey or pork


Bragg summarized, "Chocolate has been and will continue to be an important research area, and we are constantly learning more about its many unique properties. The CMA is supportive of industry research that increases the understanding of the dietary contribution and role of flavanols in a healthy lifestyle."

About the Chocolate Manufacturers Association

The Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) has served as the premiere trade group for manufacturers and distributors of cocoa and chocolate products in the United States since 1923. The association was founded to fund and administer research, promote chocolate to the general public and serve as an advocate of the industry before Congress and government agencies. CMA's mission is to serve as the voice of the American chocolate industry and through research, education and public information, works to ensure a continued supply of cocoa and consumption of high value and quality chocolate products for the American people. CMA members represent over 90% of the chocolate processed in the United States. For more information on CMA visit http://www.chocolateusa.org .

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Source: Chocolate Manufacturers Association

I thought non-alkalinized cocoa powder was the regular stuff and alkalinized was "dutch" cocoa?

I have read up on cocoa butter and I will soon be adding this to my diet, it's almost as good for you as coconut oil!

I searched high and low for coconut oil that was the least processed because if you don't get extra-virgin, unrefined, undeoderized, not heat treated but cold pressed or centerfuged, you may as well not buy any.

The 5 dollar jars of coconut oil are crap, a good 16 oz jar starts at $23 bucks. I found an online source for 8lbs for 80 bucks (roughly a gallon - I save 140 bucks this way)

mmmm chocolate..makes me hungry!

Moseyman,

Your guess about cocoa is correct -- the dutching proces uses alkalai, leaving a bitter aftertaste to some. You can buy undutched dark chocolate cocoa powder from Scharffen-Berger online, or use their store locator to find a retail location near you.

Good, reasonably priced, raw coconut oil is hard to find, I agree. There are two sites, Wilderness Family Naturals and Tropical Traditions, that have reasonable prices. I've had both, and I prefer the WFN centrifuged oil. Unfortunately, WFN is out of the small-quantity jars now. This makes no sense to me, since small glass jars ought to be available any time. Call them, and ask when they'll restock.

Speaking of jars, make sure that any oil you buy comes in glass jars, not plastic. Oil is a nonpolar (an electromagnetic property) substance, and plastic is a polar substance. They molecules attract each other, with the result being that plastic leaches into the oil. Glass is nonpolar, and will not mix with the oil. I know that the barrels in which WFN buys its oils are painted with a nonpolar, food-grade coating to prevent the metal in the barrels (which is polar) from mixing with the oil.