The precise reason for the health benefits of dark chocolate: Mystery solved

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-03/acs-tpr022414.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Mar-2014

Contact: Michael Bernstein

Contact: Katie Cottingham, Ph.D.

American Chemical Society

The precise reason for the health benefits of dark chocolate: Mystery solved

DALLAS, March 19, 2014 — The health benefits of eating dark chocolate have been extolled for centuries, but the exact reason has remained a mystery –– until now. Researchers reported here today that certain bacteria in the stomach gobble the chocolate and ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart.

-----

"We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the 'good' ones and the 'bad' ones," explained Maria Moore, an undergraduate student and one of the study's researchers.

"The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate," she said. "When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory." The other bacteria in the gut are associated with inflammation and can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. These include some Clostridia and some E. coli.

------