dark choclate

Dark chocolate 'not so healthy'

Studies have suggested dark chocolate is good for the heart

For those of you tucking into dark chocolate this Christmas using the excuse it is good for you, think again.

A top medical journal said any health claims about plain chocolate may be misleading.

Plain chocolate is naturally rich in flavanols, plant chemicals that are believed to protect the heart.

But an editorial in the Lancet points out that many manufacturers remove flavanols because of their bitter taste.

Instead, many products may just be abundant in fat and sugar - both of which are harmful to the heart and arteries, the journal reported.

Previous studies have suggested that plain chocolate can help protect the heart, lower blood pressure and aid tiredness.

The devil in the dark chocolate is the fat, sugar and calories it also contains

The Lancet

But the Lancet said: "Dark chocolate can be deceptive.

"When chocolate manufacturers make confectionery, the natural cocoa solids can be darkened and the flavanols, which are bitter, removed, so even a dark-looking chocolate can have no flavanol.

"Consumers are also kept in the dark about the flavanol content of chocolate because manufacturers rarely label their products with this information."

And the journal also pointed out that even with flavanols present, chocolate-lovers should be mindful of the other contents.

"The devil in the dark chocolate is the fat, sugar and calories it also contains.

"To gain any health benefit, those who eat a moderate amount of flavanol-rich dark chocolate will have to balance the calories by reducing their intake of other foods - a tricky job for even the most ardent calorie counter.

"So, with the holiday season upon us, it might be worth getting familiar with the calories in a bar of dark chocolate versus a mince pie and having a calculator at hand."

People shouldn't eat more than 100mg of glycyrrhizic acid a day

Experts have warned people against eating too much liquorice.

It follows the case of a 56-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital after overdosing on liquorice.

The woman from Yorkshire went into muscle failure, a potentially fatal condition, after eating too much Pontefract cake.

Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal, doctors said she had been eating the liquorice sweets to relieve chronic constipation.

Dangerous condition

"She had been eating a packet of sweets a day, about 200g," said Dr Raja Hussain of Pontefract General Infirmary.

"Her potassium levels were dangerously low and her muscles were very weak. She also had high blood pressure, which is dangerous because it can lead to stroke."

Liquorice is good for you in moderation

Sinead O'Hara,
Royal Homeopathic Hospital London

Dr Hussain and colleagues at the hospital restored the woman's potassium levels, using an intravenous drip and tablets.

"She was up and walking about within four days," Dr Hussain told BBC News Online.

The active ingredient in liquorice, glycyrrhizic acid, is found in a variety of products, including herbal remedies.

Manufacturers claim it can relieve constipation, cold, flu and allergy symptoms and may even help people with chronic fatigue or ulcers.

It is also found in smaller quantities in confectionery, toothpaste and some herbal teas.

Cigarette and drugs manufacturers sometimes use it to improve the taste of their products.

Some brands of chewing gum can contain 24mg of glycyrrhizic acid while some herbal teas can contain up to 450mg per litre.

A report by the European Commission published earlier this year suggested that people should not consume any more than 100mg of glycyrrhizic acid a day.

Studies have shown that it can increase blood pressure or cause muscle weakness and chronic fatigue. Other problems include headaches or swelling.

Recent research suggested it can also lower testosterone levels in men, affecting their mood and sex drive.

"Like everything else, liquorice is good for you in moderation," said Sinead O'Hara, principal pharmacist at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. "But too much of it is quite toxic."

Haribo, one of the companies that manufacture Pontefract cake, said people shouldn't eat too much of it.

"Haribo advises, as with any other food, liquorice products should be eaten in moderation," said marketing manager Christian Freund.