A couple of recent studies will give

chocolate lovers a chance to indulge

with a little less guilt. The findings

may also help explain a curious comment

Edgar Cayce made in several readings

that mention chocolate.

A study reported in the Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA, Vol.

290, No. 8) focused on thirteen patients with

mild hypertension who were allowed to eat

chocolate bars (either dark or white) daily for two

weeks. The hypertension remained unchanged for

the white chocolate group while dropping notably

for the dark chocolate group.

In another study published in the journal Nature (Vol. 424),

researchers measured antioxidant levels in subjects who ate either

milk chocolate (most commonly used in candy bars) or dark

chocolate. You guessed it – only the subjects who ate dark

chocolate exhibited beneficial increased antioxidant levels. Drinking

milk with the dark chocolate canceled the positive effect. One

possible explanation for the positive effects of dark chocolate is

the presence of plant compounds called polyphenols which increase

antioxidant levels and lower blood pressure.

Now for an associated Edgar Cayce quote: “Not too much sweets, especially

chocolate of the present variety.” (5162-1) Cayce made this stipulation

in several readings, apparently referring to the commercial

practice of adding sugar and other ingredient, (such as milk) in

much of the chocolate of his era. Many of the readings that discuss

chocolate were given for persons with digestive problems.

Chocolate was typically listed among a group of difficult to digest

foods. In the few readings that do allow for chocolate consumption,

Cayce’s advice was consistent with modern researchers

who caution about eating too much of this delicacy. If you do

indulge, keep it to a minimum and make sure it is dark

chocolate.