Email this article to a friend

Printable Version

Articles Related to This Article: • Raw, "empowered" chocolate products launched by Empowered Foods; full review of sensational product line • Interview with Steve Adler, Creator of "Sacred Chocolate" from Naturaw.com • Chocolate for Valentine's Day? This Year, Choose Real Cacao Superfoods, Not Processed Chocolate Candy Support NaturalNews advertisers - Advertise with NaturalNews Nutrition Can Save America! FREE report by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, reveals why nutritional deficiencies are destroying America's health and economy... and how to restore America's future with real food.

(NaturalNews) Johns Hopkins University researchers have found that a little dark chocolate every day can help thin the blood, thereby possibly reducing the risk of developing a blood clot.

The researchers observed the platelets of a group of people, initially analyzing the effects of aspirin on the tiny particles in the blood, which can stick to each other and form clots, thereby causing a heart attack or stroke. The participants were told to give up chocolate for the study, but 139 were unable to do so and continued their chocolate consumption.

The scientists rolled with the issue and compared the blood of those who did not give up chocolate to those who did and found that the chocoholics' platelets clotted at 130 seconds when outside the body, whereas the other participants blood clotted at 123 seconds. The scientists concluded that chemicals in the cocoa -- possibly flavonoids -- were having a blood-thinning effect akin to aspirin.

The researchers said that people could benefit from eating a bit of dark chocolate or a chocolate drink every day. They stressed that it was important to make sure the sugar and butter content of the chocolate was minimal, and the ideal serving size would be about two tablespoons daily.

"This study just goes to show that chocolate can help prevent blood clots as well as over-the-counter drugs, only without any harsh side effects like stomach deterioration," said consumer health advocate Mike Adams, adding, "People who want to enjoy the benefits of chocolate without the harmful processed sugars and milk fats should check out raw cacao nibs."

###

Share

Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • Raw, "empowered" chocolate products launched by Empowered Foods; full review of sensational product line • Interview with Steve Adler, Creator of "Sacred Chocolate" from Naturaw.com • Chocolate for Valentine's Day? This Year, Choose Real Cacao Superfoods, Not Processed Chocolate Candy	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/021101_chocolate_blood_blood_clots.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/021101_chocolate_blood_blood_clots.html">Dark chocolate found to help prevent blood clots in Johns Hopkins study</a>