Healthy Chocolate Science Update – Q1 2009

In this paper, I will examine the influence of manufacturing processes on the availability of flavonols contained in cocoa beans. I will also present the most recent research conducted in 2008 on cocoa and health, and connect the results of the University of Utah study on Xocai with other pertinent studies.

A 2008 study completed by researchers in Spain examined the impact of manufacturing processes on cocoa powder. The researchers found that ―dutching‖ (or alkalinization) of cocoa powder resulted in a 60% loss of total flavonoid capacity. While dutching might make cocoa more palatable by removing bitterness, it also robs cocoa of most of the beneficial properties associated with flavonoids.

Even the process of fermenting cocoa beans contributes to the loss of potent flavonoids.
This study also showed a 67% loss of the (-)-epicatechin, which is the main powerhouse flavonoid in cocoa.

Need more convincing? The researchers also discovered that dutching contributes to an 86% loss of the other important flavonol in cocoa—quercetin. Quercitin is a very potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenger that was not even reported to be found in cocoa before.
Pound-for-pound, unprocessed cocoa contains as much quercetin as broccoli, apples, or red grapes.

As recently as August 2008, a study reported the discovery of dietary resveratrol in cocoa powder (about half as much as an average California red wine), further bolstering the argument of cocoa as a beneficial food.
Why is the preservation (or even enhancement) of cocoa polyphenols of such great importance? The answer is two-fold: the obvious biological activity of polyphenols, combined with the limited absorption of polyphenols in the gut. This means the more potent the cocoa, the more beneficial to the consumer. Epicatechin demonstrates the highest absorption in the blood, which is why it is important to maximize the amount available in the product.

Several studies have examined the absorption of flavanols into the bloodstream (―bioavailability‖). These studies found that the gastric environment has little-to-no effect on polyphenols. Epicatechins and catechins are readily absorbed by the upper intestinal gut into the bloodstream. Epicatechin metabolites (glucuronide, sulfate, and methyl) are found in blood plasma very soon after being after hitting the intestinal gut. The larger molecules of flavanols not absorbed in the small intestine travel to, and are metabolized by, bacteria in the large intestine, producing other beneficial polyphenols. These valuable compounds can be found even up to six or 12 hours after the cocoa product has been ingested.

These studies also discovered epicatechin metabolites and quercetin in the brain bloodstream soon after the ingestion of cocoa.

Another important factor to consider is whether an increase of polyphenols increase antioxidant levels in the blood. Studies have found definite increases in blood ORAC levels associated with cocoa consumption, indicating that the flavonoids are being utilized by the body. The ORAC (oxygen-radical absorbance capacity) test measures the capacity of a compound to absorb or neutralize oxygen-free radicals, which are harmful to the body. An increased presence of antioxidants gives the body another weapon to fight damaging molecules that are created inside the body every day.

An increase of total serum glutathione, also shown in these studies, indicates that the flavonol molecules are actually doing their jobs inside the living body. Glutathione (a protein found inside cells) is essential for the function of immune cells and disease-fighting. Another interesting and informative test determines whether the metabolites, or breakdown products, of the flavonoids are found in the urine. Presence of metabolites in urine indicates that the molecules are being used by the body. One of the easiest molecules to check in urine is isoprostane—a molecule that damages the body. If antioxidants are absorbed and functioning correctly, there should be a reduced level of isoprostane found in urine. High levels of isoprostane are associated with increased risk for dementia.

The study performed in 2008 by the University of Utah showed statistically significant increases of ORAC levels in blood plasma, increases of glutathione levels in plasma, and decreases in isoprostane levels found in urine. University of Utah researchers found these results using both a standard dose of Xocai Active™ (one ounce, three times per day), as well as an increased dose (three ounces, three times per day). These findings confirmed other reports of increased serum ORAC levels, increased glutathione levels, and decreased isoprostane levels found in other ―in-vivo‖ tests (tests performed in the human body) with dark cocoa powder.

Post-Industrial Chocolate: From Good to Bad

With the coming of the Industrial Revolution, chocolate manufacturers found themselves in regional and global competition for consumers.

At the same time that chocolate was being served in liquid form as a medicine for the sick, it was also being produced with added fats and sugars as a cheap candy.

The mid- to late-1800s saw the creation of a tremendous market for chocolate penny candy, as well as for fancy boxed chocolates that have since become synonymous with love and courtship.
By the 1950s, chocolate had completely lost its association with health and healing. Many of today’s most famous chocolate companies got their start during the Great Depression, known to those in the business as the ―hungry thirties‖ due to the popularity of this cheap diversion from the doldrums of everyday life during the economic crisis. Are we experiencing the ―hungry 2000s‖ today? The market seems to indicate that this is so [tk ref an article here]

A Renaissance in Chocolate

Only in the past few years has cocoa been reexamined as a health food and nutritious source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins and minerals.

Overall, the demand for cacao remains very high, with an estimated 3.5 million tons (that’s 7,000,000,000 pounds) consumed during 2008

Cocoa in World History

Cocoa in World History

There is no denying that cocoa has played a major role in the development of both Mesoamerican and European History. Even today, fortunes are won and lost on the price fluctuations of this highly sought-after commodity, as traders bet on the moves of cocoa futures. Cocoa is produced in mass amounts in only a handful of countries around the world, many of which are not always politically or economically stable.

Recent discoveries in Honduras showed traces of cocoa on cups and plates dating back to 2000 B.C. Between 200 and 900 A.D., the Mayan culture celebrated cocoa as a central part of their agriculture, economy, medicine and religion.

Still used today, the word ―cacao‖ is derived from ancient Olmec and subsequent Mayan languages (―kakaw‖), while the term ―cacahuatl,‖ also related to the root origin of cacao, is from ancient Aztec.

In 1737, Swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus named the tree that produces these unsightly, yet highly prized cocoa bean pods ―Theobroma cacao‖—literally meaning ―cocoa, food of the gods,‖ in a reference to the mythical history of the tree among ancient Mesoamericans.

Cocoa as Medicine

While cocoa was a celebrated and valued part of ancient Mesoamerican society, ancient records have also revealed more than 150 uses of cocoa for medicinal purposes.

The Europeans were first introduced to cocoa by the Spanish conquistadors around 1505 A.D. By the mid-1600s, European healers were ―prescribing‖ cocoa as a medicine to stimulate the health function of the spleen and digestive tract as well as a cure for all manner of other ailments and diseases. Cocoa was valued as a means to heal colds and cough attacks, enhance mental acuity, fight inflammation and improve overall nutrition.

Some Noted Mentions of Cocoa in History

Thomas Jefferson: “The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain”(1).

William Clark (famed explorer): “I felt my Self [sic] very unwell and derected [sic] a little Chocolate which Mr. McClellan gave us, prepared of which I drunk about a pint and found great relief…”

Baron Justus von Liebig (German chemist): “Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits.”
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (lawyer, politician): “It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work."

Product Review: TRU Chocolate vs. Xocai

April 20, 2009 by gnac

Product Review:

A “True” Comparison, by Doctor Steven Warren, M.D., D.P.A.

-Xocai Healthy Antioxidant Chocolate vs. TRU Chocolate – What’s the difference?

I have been approached by a number of people asking my opinion on TRU Chocolate, another “healthy” chocolate being sold via MLM. I conducted a thorough examination of the information and science available, and the following are my conclusions.

TRU Chocolate is a relatively new chocolate product sold through the Youngevity network marketing company. The company itself has been around for years, selling all kinds of health supplements, makeup, home and garden chemicals, and now chocolate. I counted over 80 different items on their product overview webpage.

So, the big question is, how does TRU Chocolate stack up against Xocai, the Healthy Chocolate™?

ORAC Comparison

First off, let’s compare ORAC values. You might remember that ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is how scientists measure the antioxidant capacities of food and nutritional supplements. The higher the ORAC value, the better the product is in countering the damage done by harmful free radicals in the body.

As with Xocai, one of the main marketing “hooks” with TRU Chocolate is its ORAC value. Youngevity touts that TRU Chocolate has an ORAC rating of 3040 per eight gram piece. This actually compares favorably with Xocai products such as the Xocai Nugget™ (3120 per 12g piece) and X Power Squares™ (3582 per 6g piece).

One big concern I have is that nowhere on the package labeling is there an independent verification of the ORAC claims made by Youngevity about TRU Chocolate. MXI Corp, the manufacturers of the Xocai product line, submits actual products to Brunswick Labs for independent testing and measurement. I have personally spoken with the Brunswick scientists and read their reports, so I’m comfortable that the Xocai ORAC values are properly documented.

My suspicion is that Youngevity has merely taken the ORAC values for different ingredients in their product (we’ll talk more about this later), and used these figures to calculate an ORAC value, rather than actually having their product tested by an independent laboratory.

If we look at a comparison of ORAC value by price, we see that a typical month’s supply of TRU Chocolate is 6 bags (total of 720 grams) of product for $120 (wholesale). That works out to $0.1667 per gram, or $0.0005 per antioxidant ORAC unit ($120/ 237,600 ORAC units total).

A month’s supply of Xocai X Power Squares totals 828g of product, and sells for $110 wholesale. That comes to $0.1328 per gram, or $0.00025 pre antioxidant ORAC unit ($110 / 436,800 ORAC units total).

Clearly, TRU Chocolate costs twice the amount of Xocai X Power Squares™ when compared on a per-ORAC basis.

What’s Inside?

Next, let’s take a look at what’s inside TRU Chocolate.

According to Youngevity’s labeling, TRU Chocolate contains, organic chocolate liquor, organic cocoa butter, xylitol, and a herbal formula of momordica charantia, noni fruit, citrus extract, ellagic acid, green tea extract, Fabanol®, Bioprene®, lectin, and organic lecithin.

“Chocolate liquor” is an industry term for cocoa mass that is produced by taking cocoa beans that have been fermented, dried, roasted and separated from their shells, and grinding the cotyledon at the center.

The problem here is that this method of processing cocoa results in a poor end product in terms of flavanols contained. You might have learned from some of my other work that the flavanols in cocoa are responsible for most of the amazing health benefits science has been uncovering over the past several years.

Only cold processing, a patented method used by MXI Corp in their Xocai™ line of chocolate, preserves enough flavanol content for the chocolate to really be considered “healthy.” Whether the chocolate liquor is “organic” (implying somehow that the chocolate is healthy) is beside the point. How the cocoa is processed determines what health benefits, if any, are retained in the finished chocolate product.

Another concern I have about the ingredients in TRU Chocolate is the caffeine content. The addition of green tea extract, in addition to the cocoa processing method, will result in a product much higher in caffeine than necessary. Sure, caffeine has some weight-reducing properties due to its capacity to increase the body’s metabolism, but there are also quite a few side effects, including “jitteriness,” elevated blood pressure, rapid heart rate, nausea, sleep difficulty, etc.

Properly processed cocoa will have only trace amounts of caffeine. The true mood-enhancing properties in cocoa are found in a chemical called theobromine, which has none of the unwanted side effects of caffeine.

Along with the added caffeine jitters you might get from TRU Chocolate, you can also expect to experience diarrhea from not only the xylitol (a natural, but by no means “calorie-free” sweetener), but also the Fabanol® (a carbohydrate blocker), as well as Bioprene™ (flavor-enhancement derivative from black peppers).

Let me be clear: such side effects are not generally associated with cocoa. In my opinion, the added ingredients in TRU Chocolate lead to unhealthy weight loss.

Again, for me the “kicker” is that Youngevity does not disclose the amount of flavonoids in their product. And it’s obvious that much of their claim of ORAC comes from the other ingredients added to make up for the lost flavanols in the cocoa.

Both Xocai™ and TRU Chocolate contain the same levels of natural sugars (Xocai uses a low-glycemic raw cane crystals), but pregnant women are strongly (and rightfully) advised in the literature not to consume some of the TRU Chocolate products due to some of the ingredients.

By way of ingredient comparison, Xocai™ uses unprocessed, cold pressed cocoa with cocoa butter; not vegetable oils. The correct amount of cocoa in Xocai products provides quantifiable benefits without the side effects of both the caffeine and xylitol present in TRU Chocolate. The slow released sugars in Xocai (i.e. raw cane crystals) allow Xocai’s patented cocoa to naturally push the sugars into the cells to be used for fuel. Remember, you need sugar to survive, but it must be in the right amounts in addition to being in the correct form. Xocai™ can also be a great source of fiber which is necessary for good health.

Misleading Comparisons

The TRU Chocolate website includes a comparison of their product to Xocai. I just wanted to address some of the misleading representations.

First, while Xocai™ does contain sugar, the sugar in Xocai™ are raw can juice crystals. This is a low-glycemic sugar that does not boost insulin levels in the blood stream like a regular processed sugar. As a matter of fact, Xocai™ products are diabetic friendly.

Next, TRU Chocolate claims to include organic ingredients that Xocai™ does not have. My question here is what support Youngevity gives for their claims of “organic.” Their packaging does not explain exactly what their definition of organic is. Xocai™ products have no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or fillers. This is a claim that TRU Chocolate just cannot make.

Youngevity falsely claims that Xocai™ contains no cocoa butter. Xocai™ chocolate does indeed contain cocoa butter, which is a neutral fat. The Xocai™ labeling identifies this as a saturated fat, which causes panic in some people who think all fats are bad. The truth is that cocoa butter is a scientifically proven neutral (non-absorbed) fat.

Lastly, Youngevity makes the curious claim that the cocoa powder in Xocai™ products is a “chemically processed food that is the ‘waste product’ of the chocolate manufacturing process.” To be honest, I’m not even sure where to begin to address this claim.

Let’s be clear: Xocai™ products use cacao that is blanched, unfermented, sun-dried, non-roasted and cold-pressed, which means it boasts eight times the levels of epicatechins and catechins (flavonoids), and four times the levels of procyanidins (another flavonoid) than cacao produced with standard processing. Xocai™ products (the entire product, not just the separate ingredients) are independently tested by Brunswick Labs, guaranteed to contain the levels of flavonoids and ORAC value found on the packaging.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that TRU Chocolate is a product with insufficient amounts of the right ingredients, and too much of the wrong ones. I fully expect that you will be seeing many more so-called healthy chocolate products coming on the market in the next few years, as science continues to support what we already know about the health benefits of dark chocolate, but unless these products are created with the right formulations and through the correct processes, there won’t be much that is healthy about them at all.