7. Chocolate lowers, Here’s to Your health!
By Paige Kollock
Washington, DC
01 August 2005
Plant-derived compounds called flavonoids are found in a variety of foods; fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine Flavonoids have long been known to doctors for their health benefits,and now, according to a new study, they’re also found in some kinds of CHOCOLATE!
Chocolate lovers, such as Cormelia Crystal, are excited.” I eat chocolate almost every day.”
Others, like John Sutcliffe, are skeptical.” I can’t imagine that eating more is going to help you health wise, but eating some I guess, a little bit at a time is always good for you, isn’t it?”
The study was conducted in Italy by an American doctor. He tested just 20 patients; too tew to start writing prescriptions for chocolate, but the results were significant. The patients who ate a bar of“dark” chocolate every for two weeks had lower blood pressure and better blood folw than those who ate white chocolate, which doesn’t have flavonoids.
STEVE: “What’s a flavonoid?:
RACHEL DAGOVITS:“Flavond, it’s a compononent of food, I think with some healthy attributes.”
JOHN: It’s not related to hemorrhoid, is it?”
The patients also showed lower cholesterol levels, The key to dark chocolate is the cocoa, which is rich in flavonoids.
Schakolatd is an international gourmet chocolate mau nufacturer.
Washington D.C. Schakolad storeowner Sam Aboulthosn says he’s already noticed the effects of the study on business.” Its funny, since the report came out last week, we’ve been selling a lot more of the dark chocolate bars. Especially with our fresh dipped strawberries. We offer those in milk, white and dark chocolate and now people are saying， Well, I’ll get my strawberries, I’ll get my fruit intake but I’ll also get my chocolate fix.”
But don’t over do it. The people in the study were only given 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate a day – about the size of a bar of soap. And doctor’s say, if you ‘re watching your weight, chocolate may not be the best way to get your flavonoids.
注解：
1. flavonoid ['fewivenOid] 類黃酮
2. attribute [E'tribju (:)t n. 屬性，品質，特征
3．Gourmet ['guEmei] n. 能精選品評美食、美酒的人
