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Midori Natsume, Ph.D., and colleagues note that studies have shown that cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease by boosting levels of HDL, or “good� cholesterol, and decreasing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad� cholesterol. Credit for those heart-healthy effects goes to a cadre of antioxidant compounds in cocoa called polyphenols, which are particularly abundant in dark chocolate. Until now, however, nobody knew exactly how the polyphenols in cocoa orchestrated those beneficial effects.

The scientists analyzed the effects of cocoa polyphenols on cholesterol using cultures of human liver and intestinal cells. They focused on the production of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), a protein that is the major component of “good� cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), the main component of “bad� cholesterol. It turns out that cocoa polyphenols increased ApoA1 levels and decreased ApoB levels in both the liver and intestine. Further, the scientists discovered that the polyphenols seem to work by enhancing the activity of so-called sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs attach to the genetic material DNA and activate genes that boost ApoA1 levels, increasing “good� cholesterol. The scientists also found that polyphenols appear to increase the activity of LDL receptors, proteins that help lower “bad� cholesterol levels.

Here is a Valentine’s Day sampler of other recent research on the health benefits chocolate published in ACS journals:

• New evidence that dark chocolate helps ease emotional stress
• Study finds that people are programmed to love chocolate
• Natural ACE inhibitors in chocolate, wine and tea may help lower blood pressure

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
“Cacao Polyphenols Influence the Regulation of Apolipoprotein in HepG2 and Caco2 Cells�

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