Chocolate News and Research

RSS

Food addicts appear to have high neural activity in brain

Persons with an addictive-like eating behavior appear to have greater neural activity in certain regions of the brain similar to substance dependence, including elevated activation in reward circuitry in response to food cues, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the August print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

5 Apr 2011

Candy consumption can help reduce weight and risk of CVD

Good news for candy and chocolate lovers: they tend to weigh less, have lower body mass indices and waist circumferences, and have decreased levels of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, according to a new study published in Nutrition Research.

31 Mar 2011

Panax ginseng, saffron and yohimbine can boost human sexual function

Looking to spice up your sex life? Try adding ginseng and saffron to your diet. Both are proven performance boosters, according to a new scientific review of natural aphrodisiacs conducted by University of Guelph researchers.

28 Mar 2011

Researcher reverses ageing process in bee's brain

Norwegian researcher Gro Amdam has succeeded in reversing the ageing process in the bee brain - findings which she believes may bring hope to people with dementia.

21 Mar 2011

Exerting more self control leads to negative emotions

People who make an effort to exert self-control are attracted to aggressive art and public policy appeals, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. They also don't appreciate messages that nag them to control their behavior.

18 Mar 2011

Poll explores link between Americans' use of communication technologies and sleep habits

The 2011 Sleep in America- poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation finds pervasive use of communications technology in the hour before bed. It also finds that a significant number of Americans aren't getting the sleep they say they need and are searching for ways to cope.

7 Mar 2011

Drugs Council says alcohol fundraisers at schools must stop

The Australian National Council on Drugs called for an end to “wine drives” and alcohol fundraisers at schools. The Federal Government peak advisory body on drug use has warned schools in an open letter by chairman Dr John Herron that selling wine to parents to raise funds may be sending the wrong message to students.

3 Mar 2011

Menthol cigarette makers & FDA in a legal debate over ban

Tobacco companies have decided to sue the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over a decision that has been made in regards to cigarettes. The companies include the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. as well as Lorillard, Inc., have sued the FDA over a decision that would potentially ban all cigarettes that contain a chemical known as menthol.

28 Feb 2011

Tips for heart healthiness

Everyone should know the warning signs for a heart attack -- but according to Dr. Isaac Eliaz, effective prevention requires much more than a list of potential symptoms.

23 Feb 2011

Brain reward center responds to good and bad experiences

The so-called reward center of the brain may need a new name, say scientists who have shown it responds to good and bad experiences. The finding, published in PLoS One, may help explain the "thrill" of thrill-seeking behavior or maybe just the thrill of surviving it, according to scientists at Georgia Health Sciences University and East China Normal University.

23 Feb 2011

EUFIC, University of Surrey publish European nutrition labelling consumer research results

The European Food Information Council, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Surrey, UK, has published the results of its latest European nutrition labelling consumer research - now focusing on portion information.

21 Feb 2011

Scientists improve methods for flavanol antioxidant determination in cocoa, chocolate

Two scientific publications report on improved methods for determining the amounts of flavanol antioxidants in cocoa and chocolate. The research, sponsored by The Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition, was a collaboration between scientists at The Hershey Company and other scientific laboratories.

15 Feb 2011

Men and women who eat berries may have lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease

New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids.

13 Feb 2011

Dark chocolate better than acai berry, blueberry, cranberry for antioxidants

A new study shows that dark chocolate and cocoa powder may be the next “super foods” thanks to their high antioxidant content. The scientists have found that antioxidant content of dark chocolate is higher than so called “super fruits” like acai berry, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate.

8 Feb 2011

How cocoa in chocolate reduces risk of heart disease

In time for the chocolate-giving and chocolate-noshing fest on Valentine's Day, scientists are reporting discovery of how this treat boosts the body's production of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) - the "good" form of cholesterol that protects against heart disease.

8 Feb 2011

New research: Chocolates have greater antioxidant capacity, polyphenols, flavanols

It is widely known that fruit contains antioxidants which may be beneficial to health. New research published in the open access journal Chemistry Central Journal demonstrates that chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice.

6 Feb 2011

Lack of DOT1L enzyme could lead to some types of heart disease: Study

Everyone knows chocolate is critical to a happy Valentine's Day. Now scientists are one step closer to knowing what makes a heart happy the rest of the year.

5 Feb 2011

Study hopes to establish health benefits from cocoa and vitamin C

A study which hopes to establish the health benefits from cocoa and vitamin C is looking for volunteers. Researchers at The University of Nottingham are trying to find ways of helping us maintain muscle mass as we grow old and want to hear from healthy men aged between 18-28 and 65-75.

4 Feb 2011

Bioengineers and physician-scientists zap tumors with light-activated nanoparticles

Rice University bioengineers and physician-scientists at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have successfully destroyed tumors of human brain cancer cells in the first animal tests of a minimally invasive treatment that zaps glioma tumors with heat. The tests involved nanoshells, light-activated nanoparticles that are designed to destroy tumors with heat and avoid the unwanted side effects of drug and radiation therapies.

2 Feb 2011

Tips for getting good night's sleep

Bedrooms are important to getting a good night's sleep, according to the first ever Bedroom Poll from the National Sleep Foundation. The poll found that Americans love their bedrooms and believe that comfort and cleanliness are fundamental to good sleep.

25 Jan 2011