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"Cranberry juice is a time-honored remedy for treating urinary tract infections. Early theories assumed that the juice's effectiveness was due to its high acid content. Recent clinical studies, however, indicate that trimers (three-molecule aggregates) of epicatechin in the juice act to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to the cells that line the urinary tract."
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Could Cocoa be the Next Penicillin?
Sylvia Hubbard Thursday, June 14, 2007
Epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, may be the key to reducing stroke, heart failure, and cancer. The ingredient could one day be ranked in importance alongside penicillin and anesthesia, according to Norman Hollenberg, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
The Futurist magazine reported that Hollenberg studied the Kuna, an island-dwelling group of people in Panama. The Huna drink up to 40 cups of cocoa a week and Hollenberg found they had a much lower rate of heart disease that Panamanians who lived on the mainland and drank less cocoa. In fact, the mainlander's rate of heart disease was 1,280 percent higher than the Kuna, and they also had a 630 percent higher risk of dying from cancer.
"If these observations predict the future, then we can say without blushing that they are among the most important observations in the history of medicine," Hollenberg told the journal Science & Industry.
Epicatechin is a flavanol - an antioxidant compound found in wine, tea, and chocolate that has been found to help blood vessels relax and improve blood flow. Hollenberg believes this not only gives cardiovascular health a boost, but may also help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's by getting more blood to the brain.
But don't start gulping cocoa. Most commercially available cocoa drinks have had the epicatechin removed because it's bitter. Still, experts say it may be possible to remove it from cocoa and manufacture it as a dietary supplement.
"We all agree that penicillin and anesthesia are enormously important," said Hollenberg. "But epicatechin could potentially get rid of four of the five most common diseases in the Western world. How important does that make epicatechin? I would say very important.
Posts: 294 | From nevada | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
"But don't start gulping cocoa. Most commercially available cocoa drinks have had the epicatechin removed because it's bitter. Still, experts say it may be possible to remove it from cocoa and manufacture it as a dietary supplement."
I've been doing cocoa because I read about its health effects, and Hershey is promoting their products based on those health effects. Hadn't heard about epicatechin being removed, which redenders the cocoa useless. Lies, lies and more lies.
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quote:Originally posted by Greatcod: "But don't start gulping cocoa. Most commercially available cocoa drinks have had the epicatechin removed because it's bitter. Still, experts say it may be possible to remove it from cocoa and manufacture it as a dietary supplement."
I've been doing cocoa because I read about its health effects, and Hershey is promoting their products based on those health effects. Hadn't heard about epicatechin being removed, which redenders the cocoa useless. Lies, lies and more lies.
Not to worry. The referred to foo-foo "cocoa drinks" are not the same as non-alkali processed cocoa powder......NOW brand or Dagoba make organic Cocoa powder. Just heat some water, mix in a couple of spoonfuls of the powder and add xylitol (my favorite) or raw uncooked honey or stevia or ???. I add some D-Ribose and Rice milk as well. MMMMMMMM-MMMMMMMM!!
Posts: 294 | From nevada | Registered: Sep 2005
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