Sounds too good to be true doesn't it?

Read on, I hope you are even half as intrigued as I was! I've been a year and a half eating healthy chocolate every day and I know, it's true it's true!

Below is a collection of articles and resources found in my searches and sent onto me from my chocolate eatin' friends and a little help from Google Alerts.

For the latest published information go to your favorite search engine and type in "dark chocolate antioxidants".

Brunswick Laboratories & "ORAC" value testing standards.
"ORAC, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, has become the international testing standard for antioxidant capacity, particularly for natural products such as botanical-based ingredients and consumer food products. Some of the world's largest nutrition companies use ORAC to promote the antioxidant benefits of their products. Original work on the ORAC method was done by the USDA, and scientists at Brunswick Labs improved upon the method for commercial use.

To many, ORAC is synonymous with Brunswick Labs."

Brunswick Labs Patent Approval Document

ORAC and Cost Comparison Chart
The USDA has recommended that people consume a minimum of 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC per day.

MyDrChocolate.com
The website of the world's foremost expert and researcher on the benefits of raw cocao.

There are more articles here:

20080721
Delicious "Brown Gold": Cocoa and Chocolate
"Never before has nature imbued such a small space with such a cornucopia of valuable nutrition as in the cocoa bean."
~ Alexander von Humboldt, (1769-1859)

20080719
A List of the Top Antioxidant Foods
Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants because it is made from the cocoa bean, and this is the food with the highest antioxidant value on the planet.

20080629
Study: Dark chocolate may lower blood pressure


20080620
A Sweet Answer For High Blood Pressure
...enjoy a big fat delicious organic chocolate bar. That's right, haven't you heard?

20080616
Can these foods help keep you young?
Tea, dark chocolate, red wine and dried fruits show promise, experts say.

20080614
Will Cocoa Soon Be Used as Medicine?
The improvement was as large as has been observed with exercise and many common diabetic medications.

20080526
Cocoa could be a healthy treat for diabetic patients
Flavanols in cocoa improve artery function, help relieve stress on heart
American College of Cardiology

20080428
Chocolate May Reduce Pregnancy Complication Risk

20080417
The DNA of Antioxidants

20080320
Think Dark Chocolate At Easter

20080320
Why Easter Eggs Are Good For You

20080228
Chocolate: vice or sweet indulgence?

20080227
The Chocolate Facial

20071112
Antioxidants may stop fat cells formation

20071106
Is It the Dark in Dark Chocolate?

20070822
Dark chocolate flavonoids reduce high blood pressure

20070704
Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure: study
For most people, "the lower your blood pressure, the better you are. So if you can get it lower from different strategies that's good for the long term,"
- Dr. Lawrence Appel of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

20070700
Dark Chocolate: To Die For And Keep You Well by the Cancer Research Society

20070519
Chocolate Toothpaste?
Extract of tasty treat could fight tooth decay.

20070321
Cocoa polyphenols may offer diabetes benefits

20070500
Dark Chocolate...Saint Or Sinner?It Used To Just Be A Sweet, Now It's Functional.

20070312
Cocoa "Vitamin" Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin

20070218
Flavanols in cocoa may offer benefits to the brain

20070127
Does Flavanol Intake Influence Mortality from Nitric Oxide-Dependent Processes? Ischemic Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes Mellitus, and Cancer in Panama

20070000
The effect of Malaysian cocoa extract on glucose levels and lipid profiles in diabetic rats

20061106
High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate improves the symptoms of chronic fatigue

20060800
Cocao and Prostrate Cancer

20060700
True or False: Eating Dark Chocolate Can Lower Your Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease

20060523
Consumption Of High-flavanol Cocoa Improves Skin Structure And Function

20060300
The emerging role of flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate in cardiovascular health and disease.

20060209
Cocoa Flavanols, Nitric Oxide And Endothelial Function

20051219
Chocolate May Protect Smokers' Hearts
Small Study Shows Improved Artery Function Hours After Eating Dark Chocolate

20051005
Acute Consumption of Flavanol-Rich Cocoa and the Reversal of Endothelial Dysfunction in Smokers (Download the study.)

20050813
Can Chocolate Fight Diabetes, Too?

20050810
Cocoa shows benefits for coronary heart disease

20050300
Cocoa, diabetes, and hypertension: should we eat more chocolate?

20041117
Why Chocolate Makes Us Feel Good

20040209
Dental Health and Cocoa

20030827
Dark Chocolate Has Health Benefits Not Seen in Other Varieties

20011100
Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans.

20011100
How Good Is Chocolate? (American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition)

Dental Health and Well Being (with Chocolate)

Healthy Chocolate?
Chocolate tastes great, but new research shows certain kinds may be heart-healthy, as well.

Copyright Julie Coombs 2008.
Visit ChocolateManifestations.com
to find out more about the planet's healthiest chocolate!