They have much fewer carbs.

So... don't know if the sugar content is less or not. But they don't
have the same as other chocolate.

Jennifer


Alan wrote:

> I do believe that those dark chocolates you're talking about
> have as much sugar (if not more) than "regular" chocolate.
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 16:13:34 -0700, Jennifer
> > wrote:
>
>
>>There's good news and good news: First... it appears that dark
>>chocolate improves blood vessel health.
>>
>>The other good news is that very very dark chocolate (with a high cocoa
>>content - not milk or light or even regular) is very low in carbs!
>>
>>A bar with 85% cocoa... is very very chocolately... not as creamy as
>>Americans usually like, but will satisfy a real choco-holics taste buds.
>> And now improve their health. Look for them in the "gourmet" area of
>>the grocery. Lindt, Droste and others make them.
>>
>>Jennifer
>>
>>Study: Chocolate Improves Vessel Health
>>
>>August 29, 2004 02:50 PM EDT
>>
>>
>>
>>MUNICH, Germany - There's more good news for chocolate lovers.
>>Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate appears to improve the
>>function of important cells lining the wall of blood vessels for at
>>least three hours.
>>
>> The study, involving 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a
>>bar of dark chocolate and then get an ultrasound, found that eating dark
>>chocolate seemed to make the blood vessels more flexible, which helps
>>prevent the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart attacks.
>>
>> But experts cautioned that the weight gain from eating a lot of
>>chocolate probably would cancel out the apparent benefit.
>>
>> Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which act as natural
>>antioxidants - chemicals that combat the damage oxygen does to the body.
>>However, that does not mean that chocolate binges will ward off a heart
>>attack, experts warn.
>>
>> Cacao, the plant that chocolate comes from, has for centuries been
>>used for everything from medicine to currency. Although enjoyed
>>worldwide, until recently it was considered a treat that provided fat
>>and calories but no substantial nutritional value.
>>
>> Studies recently have indicated that it releases the happy chemical
>>seratonin in the brain.
>>
>> However, during the last few years, studies have suggested - much to
>>the delight of chocoholics - that it is rich in flavonoids.
>>
>> The latest study, conducted by cardiologists at Athens Medical School
>>in Greece, set out to test whether chocolate affected the functioning of
>>the so-called endothelial cells in the walls of the blood vessels, which
>>are believed to be affected by oxygen damage and are considered a mirror
>>of the overall health of the cardiovascular system.
>>
>> The scientists, who presented their work Sunday at Europe's most
>>important cardiology conference, gave 3.5 ounces of either dark,
>>bittersweet, chocolate or fake chocolate to 17 healthy volunteers.
>>
>> On another day, the volunteers were switched. They had no chocolate
>>outside of the study, and investigators did not know what each volunteer
>>ate during the study.
>>
>> An ultrasound was taken of each volunteer's upper arm to see the
>>functioning of the endothelial cells in the main artery. The cells
>>accomplish their goal of controlling the stiffness of the blood vessel
>>by secreting several active substances that regulate the flexibility of
>>the vessel and influence clot formation.
>>
>> "During the chocolate session, endothelial function was improved,
>>whereas during the placebo day there were no such changes," the study
>>concluded. "The favorable effects of dark chocolate lasted for three
>>hours at least."
>>
>> By improving the blood vessel flexibility in apparently healthy
>>people, dark chocolate emerges as perhaps a power food, the scientists said.
>>
>> "At this time, we do not know whether regular intake of dark chocolate
>>or other cocoa beverages could result in a reduction of total
>>cardiovascular" problems or death, the study said.
>>
>> Experts warned against gorging on chocolate as a way to ward off heart
>>trouble, reminding that excess calories lead to weight gain, which is a
>>powerful trigger of heart problems. Any benefit to blood vessel
>>flexibility would probably be wiped out by the danger of the weight
>>gain, they advised.
>>
>> Also, while antioxidants in theory help keep the heart healthy and
>>looked promising in early research, recent rigorous studies
>>investigating whether antioxidant pills such as vitamins A, C and E ward
>>off heart attacks have shown them to be useless.
>>
>> Dr. Michael Gibson, associate chief of cardiology at Harvard
>>University-linked Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, said the chocolate
>>study was "interesting."
>>
>> "There are a few basic science reasons why this might be good, but
>>keep in mind that antioxidants also improved forearm blood flow but that
>>didn't necessarily pan out as an effective treatment," said Gibson, who
>>was not associated with the study.
>
>