Chocolate Consumption Can Reduce the Risk of Preeclampsia

Research at Yale said, women who eat chocolate have a lower risk for the occurrence of preeclampsia, a dangerous complication of pregnancy. This conclusion was published in the latest edition of the journal Epidemiology. 

A team headed by Elizabeth Triche of the Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, wanted to know if chocolate, particularly dark chocolate (dark cocholate) which is known to improve cardiovascular health, can also provide protection to pregnant women for preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a disorder during pregnancy to increase blood pressure and protein in urine and can be fatal. Pregnant women who experience preeclampsia have other symptoms such as swelling, weight gain, headaches and vision problems. 

Triche et al examined about chocolate consumption in pregnant women and also levels of theobromine, the products produced by the brown, in the placental blood of pregnant women. Although this study did not distinguish between dark chocolate and other kinds of chocolate, dark chocolate has theobromine levels are higher. 

Research on 1681 women showed that those who consume more chocolate than five times a week had a lower risk for the occurrence of preeclampsia. 1346 among women with placental blood data are available, those with levels higher theobromine, have significantly lower risk of preeclampsia compared with those with levels lower theobromine. These results indicate that women with high levels of theobromine, a possibility almost 70% lower for the occurrence of preeclampsia than those with low levels of theobromine. Theobromine levels have data, which has more objective value than chocolate consumption data, is more important and an added value of this study, Triche said. 

The researchers speculate that the presence of anti-oxidants called flavonoids in dark chocolate added benefit in improving cardiovascular health. "This is quite promising, but we need to do more research about how much needs the type of chocolate brown and are most profitable," Triche said. Triche also added that the study is not intended for pregnant women to eat chocolate at will, because of excessive consumption can cause weight gain and other health disorders.