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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Consumption of dark chocolate - but not milk chocolate - raises plasma antioxidant levels, an effect that could help protect against heart disease, according to a new report published in the August 28th issue of Nature.

The researchers found that the rise in antioxidant levels is much lower when milk chocolate or dark chocolate with milk is consumed. Although the exact reason is unclear, it may be that milk interferes with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate.

The current findings are based on a study of 12 healthy volunteers who on different days consumed 100 g dark chocolate alone, 100 g dark chocolate with milk, or 200 g milk chocolate.



Blood analysis one-hour after dark chocolate was eaten revealed a significant rise in antioxidant levels, including levels of epicatechin, a well-known dietary flavonoid, lead author Dr. Mauro Serafini, from the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, and colleagues note.

In contrast, no significant change in antioxidant levels was noted after consumption of milk chocolate or dark chocolate with milk, the authors point out. Moreover, epicatechin absorption into the bloodstream was much lower than when dark chocolate was eaten alone.

"Our findings highlight the possibility that the in vivo antioxidant activity of flavonoids could be impaired by other dietary constituents," the researchers state. "There is therefore a need to take into account dietary habits when designing studies to assess the association between flavonoid-rich foods, antioxidant activity and degenerative disease," they add.

Nature 2003;424:1013.