‘Chocoholic’ gut bacteria good for heart

Chocaholic gut bacteria may be one of the chief reasons why dark chocolate is good for the heart, research suggests.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Mar 2014, 22:51 BST

By breaking down indigestible chocolate compounds and fermenting cocoa fibre, they generate a potent anti-inflammatory effect.

It is this, scientists believe, that helps to protect the heart and arteries from damage.

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Researcher Maria Moore, from Louisiana State University in the US, said: “We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the ‘good’ ones and the ‘bad’ ones.

“The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate.

“When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory.”

“Bad” gut bacteria, such as Clostridia and some strains of Escherichia coli (E.coli) help to trigger inflammation, leading to bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.

The team tested three types of cocoa powder, the raw ingredient used to make chocolate, in an artificial digestive tract consisting of a series of modified test tubes.