> Erik Reuter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Deborah Harrell wrote:
> > Hmm, I confess that I didn't keep looking for > > information on instant cocoa after the last list > > discussion, but came across this today: > > > > http://my.webmd.com/content/article/87/99509.htm > > "...And none of the instant cocoa mixes in the > local > > grocery store contain the flavonoids that improve > > blood vessel function..." > Hearsay. They give no references. The instant cocoa > mixes I've seen > usually contain "cocoa processed with alkali". The > Hershey's baking > cocoa tins say they contain "cocoa". If the instant > mixes lack flavonoids...Why would that be? The "dutch > processed" cocoa > (i.e., cocoa treated with an alkalizing agent such > as baking soda) > supposedly tastes less bitter than untreated cocoa. > Maybe there is a > difference, maybe the dutch processing that reduces > the bitterness > removes some flavonoids (damn Dutch!)? It would be > nice if the article > gave references instead of hearsay. Alkalizing cocoa does degrade at least some of the beneficial compounds: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11879061 "Cocoa flavanols and procyanidins possess wide-ranging biological activities...When incubated in simulated intestinal juice or at alkaline pH, all four compounds degraded almost completely within several hours. These results suggest that the amount, and type, of flavanols and procyanidins in the gastrointestinal tract following the consumption of cocoa can be influenced by the stability of these compounds in both acidic and alkaline environments." Acidic conditions can have a variable effect: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12537465 "...[flavanols and procyanidins] are relatively stable at pH 5.0. The present study investigated the effects of ascorbic and citric acid on the stability of monomers and dimers in simulated intestinal juice (pH 8.5) and in sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The addition of ascorbic acid to the incubation mixture significantly increased the stability of the monomers and dimers, whereas the addition of citric acid provided no protective effects...The present results, although not directly transferable to in vivo conditions, suggest that ascorbic acid may stabilize cocoa flavanols and procyanidins in the intestine where the pH is neutral, or alkaline, before absorption." [Note that both are in vitro, not in vivo studies.] So your own mix with non-dutched cocoa is likely to have more flavanoids. Debbi Does The Good Cocoa Offset The Cream And Rum? Maru ;) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com/
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