A perennial
topic around Valentine’s Day is the health benefits of wine and chocolate, and
this year we have new evidence that they may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Credit is given to high levels of anthocyanins, nutritional antioxidants found
in red wine, berries, and of course dark chocolate. Anthocyanins are the
pigments that give these foods their color, unlike resveratrol which also comes
from the skins of wine grapes.
The study, from the
University of East Anglia and Kings College London, consisted of a food questionnaire
of 2000 women. Those with the highest intake of anthocyanin-rich foods had lower
insulin resistance – a marker for type 2 diabetes - and better blood glucose
regulation. But the researchers took it a step further, and documented that
this group also had lower levels of markers of inflammation, believed to be
associated with a wide range of age-related diseases including cancer,
diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. Sweet news for your sweetheart indeed.
As with all population-based studies of this type, there are a few
caveats. For one, dark chocolate high in anthocyanins and flavonoids is not
what you would typically find in an assortment of confections, and high sugar
or butterfat content may cancel out much of the benefits. And with wine of
course, it is consumption in moderation that is the key to healthy drinking.
And perhaps just as important, food intake surveys of this type may show more
about what unhealthy foods are not being consumed, not just what is.
I’m looking for studies on the benefit of giving roses with
chocolate and wine (I’m sure it has to contribute something) but for now we
will have to take that on faith.
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