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Chocolate and Eggs: Easter Food Superheroes or Arch-villains?
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t’s Easter, the season of eggs and chocolate. But what’s the latest advice about these foods? Do they harm or heal? EGGS Research and improved understanding means eggs are no longer a nutritional Big Bad Wolf.
Packed with goodness A medium egg is very low in carbohydrates and supplies over 10% of our daily protein needs. Containing just 66 kcals and 4.6g of fat (only one third saturates), it’s a great source of nutrients often scarce in UK diets; around 20% of us are Vitamin D deficient. Eggs provide a third of daily Vitamin D requirements, around half our required Vitamin B12 and selenium, and Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, folate, biotin, iodine and phosphorous. What about cholesterol? And salmonella? Research shows that cholesterol found in eggs and other foods has a negligible effect on our cholesterol levels. Our body makes cholesterol and levels are raised by many factors. Saturated fat was the main suspect until recently, when a fresh look at the evidence cast some doubts. Regarding salmonella, the Food Standards Agency recommends, for now, that vulnerable groups should only eat hard-boiled eggs. However, a massive increase in chicken vaccination has
more than halved infection cases. All eggs with the Lion Mark come from vaccinated chickens and all 150,000 tested during the last two years were salmonella free. CHOCOLATE Chocolate has been accused of causing acne, obesity, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and diabetes, among others. But it’s not necessarily guilty, and may have beneficial effects. • Acne. There’s no scientific proof that chocolate causes acne; research suggests foods with a high glycaemic load may be guilty. •Obesity & diabetes. Due to high sugar and fat, over-indulgence may show on the scales. However, recent studies show chocolate can lower your insulin resistance (potentially reducing diabetes risk). A study of 1,500 teens showed that those eating 1.5oz of chocolate daily had less body fat and more energy than those eating 0.16oz daily, so some scientists say 1.5 ounces a day may be beneficial (that’s just a square and a half). Experts say diabetics can eat chocolate, but should monitor their total carbohydrate intake. • Cardiovascular health, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Many studies suggest that cocoa has beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, improving blood pressure, vascular function and blood flow and reducing clot risk.
It may lower cholesterol slightly, but only as part of a low fat diet. • Stroke. A study involving 44,489 people concluded that chocolate eaters were 22% less likely to suffer a stroke and 46% less likely to die from one. • Brain function. Chocolate can help preserve the brain’s blood flow and prevent memory decline in older people, and could be important in diseases like Alzheimer’s. • Mood. Chemicals in chocolate can raise our serotonin levels and affect other receptors in the brain that trigger feelings of wellbeing. • Migraine. While chocolate contains chemicals believed to be migraine triggers, recent data shows that some cocoa compounds may be beneficial in migraine treatment. • Osteoporosis. The bad news: chocolate may contribute to osteoporosis. One study of women aged 70-85 found that daily chocolate consumers had lower bone density and strength. Proper comparisons haven’t been done between white, milk and dark chocolate, but most beneficial effects come from cocoa content. So choose high cocoa content varieties low in sugar and fat, and eat chocolate in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
By Alison Runham