A recent Harvard study will please chocoholics...sort of. It seems that eating a small amount of high-quality dark chocolate one to three times a month may help stave off heart failure in women. But, eating too much "good" chocolate takes away the protective effect and isn't recommended. This study, reported in the August 17th issue of Circulation: Heart Failure, cites that the benefits are probably caused by flavonoids, or antioxidants, that can smooth heart function. But, of course, we all know about the calories. The motto: all things in moderation.
The messages in this article are that it is better to get our vitamins from foods rather than a bottle, more is NOT better and some vitamins can actually be harmful. It is also important to know that certain medications can affect the body’s ability to absorb or utilize vitamins (or minerals). To make sure you are getting what you need to stay healthy, the author has provided a listing of 13 essential vitamins and the foods that are rich in each.
