Well, If It’s For Science …

Posted by Corinne Marasco on April 29, 2008 in Chemistry and Food

“Wanted: Women to eat chocolate for a year” reads the headline on this story at CNN.com. Scientists at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, are looking for 150 women to eat chocolate every day for a year. The objective is to determine whether a natural compound in cocoa could cut the risk of heart disease among women with diabetes.

According to the story, “A Belgian confectionist has created the special chocolate bar containing high levels of flavonoids–a plant compound that has been shown to reduce heart risk factors–to be used in the experiment. Soy, another natural source of flavonoids, has also been added to the bar.”

Researchers are looking for postmenopausal women under the age of 70 to participate in the study. The women will have their risk of heart disease tested five times during the year to see whether change occurs. Aedin Cassidy, who is heading up the research, says the scientists hope to show that adding flavonoids to women’s diets will provide additional protection from heart disease.