I love stories like these. They are all over the web. They are research studies that are funded by a particular company to make the public think that their product is somehow healthier (in this case flavanoids = good and chocolate = flavanoids therefore chocolate = good).
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172098.php
Look, I like chocolate and it’s not really bad for you unless you eat a lot of it (which most Americans do at about 12 pounds a year). It’s statements like this that make folks think eating chocolate is good for you:
“Being able to fully measure and communicate the levels of flavanol antioxidants in products is increasingly important for studying the potential health benefits of cocoa and chocolate and providing information to consumers,” said Debra Miller, Ph.D., Director of Nutrition at The Hershey Company.
It’s OK to study this but until you really prove something there’s no reason to do a press release (unless, of course, you are the publicist who’s job it is to send out press releases).
Dr. Miller, when you can show through research that risk of eating 12 pounds of chocolate a year is outweighed by the benefits of the flavanoids in that 12 pounds of chocolate that’s something to report on.
Oh yeah, am I the only one who thinks that the title Director of Nutrition at The Hershey Company is the best oxymoron?
Dr. Gourmet
Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!
