(14-02-12) Cocoa polyphenols from dark chocolate significantly lower colon cancer risk

The study leader, Dr. Maria Angeles Martin Arribas noted "Being exposed to different poisons in the diet like toxins, mutagens and pro-carcinogens, the intestinal mucus is very susceptible to pathologies...foods like cocoa, which is rich in polyphenols, seems to play an important role in protecting against disease." After a period of eight weeks, the scientists were able to confirm the protective effect of cocoa polyphenols in protecting against this insidious form of digestive cancer.

The study results showed a marked decrease in the number of pre-malignant neoplastic crypts in the lining of the colon in the cocoa-treated group as compared to the control animals. Further, the researchers found a rise in antioxidant defenses in the supplemented rats and a decrease in oxidative stress biomarkers that are known to be protective against chemical exposure and the prevention of colorectal cancer.

The team concluded that the protective effect of the bioactive compounds in cocoa stopped cell-signaling pathways that typically promote cell proliferation and lead to tumor development. The treated animals also exhibited a much higher degree of apoptosis, or normal programmed cell death of potentially cancerous tissues. It is important to note that milk chocolate is not a good source of cocoa due to its low concentration of the polyphenol and high sugar content, known to promote cancer. Choose a dark chocolate with a minimum 70 percent cocoa content to significantly lower the risk associated with colorectal cancer.

Sources for this article include:

www.newsmaxhealth.com

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/f-sf-ccp012412.php

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

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