Montezuma's Bar Library, Chocolate Bars In Various Flavours, Gluten Free, 5 x 90g Bars (450g Total)

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Theobromine in cocoa was responsible for systemic and intestinal antibody concentrations and for modifying lymphocyte composition in young healthy rats In pigs, cocoa consumption, in addition to determining changes in metabolites in biofluids and tissues, as the increase in O-methyl-epicatechin glucuronide conjugates in serum, urine, and visceral adipose tissue, induced a significant increase of the abundance of Lactobacillus species from the casei group in feces and Bifidobacterium species in proximal colon contents [ 83]. Measurements of arterial spin labeling cerebral blood flow demonstrated an increase in blood flow after ingestion of flavanol-rich cocoa, suggesting its potential use for treatment of vascular impairment Cocoa and flavonols improve glucose homeostasis by slowing carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut [ 47, 48]. Indeed, cocoa extracts and procyanidins dose-dependently inhibit pancreatic α-amylase, pancreatic lipase, and secreted phospholipase A2 [ 48, 49]. Cocoa and its flavonols improve insulin sensitivity by regulating glucose transport and insulin signaling proteins in insulin-sensitive tissues (liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle) preventing in these tissues oxidative and inflammatory damage associated with the disease [ 47]. In younger and normal body-weight men, the results from the Physicians’ Health Study reported an inverse relation of chocolate consumption with incident diabetes [ 50]. In a multiethnic United States cohort, authors found a lower risk of developing T2D in subjects with the highest intake of chocolate products and cocoa-derived flavonoids [ 51]. A dose-response meta-analysis, however, suggested a nonlinear association between chocolate consumption and the risk of T2D, with a peak protective effect at 2 servings/week and no benefit recorded when increasing consumption was above 6 servings/week [ 52]. Therefore, only dark chocolate, with high percentages of cocoa, flavonoids, and theobromine and low content of sugar, differently from milk chocolate or other types of chocolate, would be associated with health-promoting effects [ 11], including the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Similarly, cocoa induces positive effects on blood pressure, insulin resistance, and vascular function. It increases production of nitric oxide (NO) and has antioxidant effects, e.g., delayed oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and inhibiting ultraviolet-induced DNA oxidation [ 25, 26].

Cocoa, the basic ingredient in chocolate, contains a significant amount of fat (40–50% as cocoa butter, with approximately 33% oleic acid, 25% palmitic acid, and 33% stearic acid). It also contains polyphenols, which constitute about 10% of a whole bean’s dry weight [ 12]. Cocoa bean is one of the best-known sources of dietary polyphenols, containing more phenolic antioxidants than most foods [ 13]. Three groups of polyphenols can be identified in cocoa beans: catechins (37%), anthocyanidins (4%), and proanthocyanidins (58%); these flavonoids are the most abundant phytonutrients in cocoa beans [ 14, 15, 16]. However, the bitterness caused by polyphenols makes unprocessed cocoa beans rather unpalatable. Manufacturers have, therefore, developed processing techniques for eliminating the bitterness. Such processes decrease the polyphenol content by up to 10-fold: for consumers the product is markedly different, mainly owing to the low-polyphenol content [ 12, 15] and the other substances added during the processing phase (e.g., sugar, emulsifiers such as soy lecithin). It is well known that polyphenols are associated with beneficial effects, therefore cocoa (rich in polyphenols) and dark chocolate (with a high percentage of cocoa and higher phenolic antioxidant compounds compared to the other chocolate varieties [ 13]) have assumed significant importance [ 17]. Results regarding the effects of cocoa/chocolate consumption on cancer are rather controversial. Early studies suggested that excess chocolate intake could be a predisposing factor to tumor development (as colorectal and breast cancer) [ 55, 56].Cocoa induced vasodilation via activation of the nitric oxide system, providing a plausible mechanism for the protection that flavanol-rich foods induce against coronary events

For the world of ‘real chocolate’ (as opposed to chocolate confectionary) to continue to grow and develop, consumers need to understand more about artisan chocolate, so that they can appreciate the work and skills which go into making fine chocolate and the flavour possibilities of cacao. They also need access to high-quality chocolate so they can taste the differences for themselves. Dark chocolate improved endothelial function and increased concentration of plasmatic epicatechins in healthy adultsSome authors demonstrated that cocoa liquor procyanidins significantly reduced the incidence and multiplicity of lung carcinomas and decreased thyroid adenomas developed in male rats, and inhibited mammary and pancreatic tumorigenesis in female rats [ 59, 60]. Cocoa procyanidins also reduced vascular endothelial growth factor activity and angiogenic activity associated with tumor, determining down-regulation of tyrosine kinase ErbB2 [ 61].