This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (46)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

To the Editor: Flavonoid-rich foods and beverages have putative vascular health benefits, including protection against ischemic stroke and reductions in platelet reactivity.^1-5 Tea, grapes, apples, and cocoa contain a class of flavonoids known as the flavanols, which includes epicatechin and catechin. Flavanols can polymerize, producing theaflavins and thearubigins (found in tea) and procyanidins (found in grapes, apples, and cocoa). We previously reported reductions in platelet primary hemostasis and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa expression 2 and 6 hours after subjects consumed 300 mL of cocoa containing a total of 897 mg of flavanols and procyanidins.³ We examined whether smaller amounts of chocolate could affect platelet function.

Methods

We measured platelet function in 18 adult subjects, without history of heart disease or other chronic disease, at baseline and at 2 and 6 hours after they consumed 25 g of semisweet chocolate chips (Mars Inc, Hackettstown, NJ), which contained 220 mg of flavanols and procyanidins. Platelet . . . [Full Text of this Article]

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Sustained benefits in vascular function through flavanol-containing cocoa in medicated diabetic patients a double-masked, randomized, controlled trial.
Balzer et al.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2008;51:2141-2149.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of the effects of dark chocolate and cocoa on variables associated with neuropsychological functioning and cardiovascular health: clinical findings from a sample of healthy, cognitively intact older adults
Crews et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2008;87:872-880.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol
Erlund et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2008;87:323-331.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effect of Cocoa and Tea Intake on Blood Pressure: A Meta-analysis
Taubert et al.
Arch Intern Med 2007;167:626-634.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THE TRUTH IS OFTEN BITTERSWEET...: CHOCOLATE DOES A HEART GOOD
Alspach
Crit Care Nurse 2007;27:11-15.
FULL TEXT  

Immune Effects of Cocoa Procyanidin Oligomers on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Kenny et al.
Exp. Biol. Med. 2007;232:293-300.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the zutphen elderly study.
Buijsse et al.
Arch Intern Med 2006;166:411-417.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

(-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans
Schroeter et al.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2006;103:1024-1029.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Review: Health Effects of Cocoa Flavonoids
Lamuela-Raventos et al.
Food Science and Technology International 2005;11:159-176.
ABSTRACT  

Bioavailability and bioefficacy of polyphenols in humans. II. Review of 93 intervention studies
Williamson and Manach
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2005;81:243S-255S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cocoa antioxidants and cardiovascular health
Keen et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2005;81:298S-303S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pentameric Procyanidins Isolated from Theobroma cacao Seeds Selectively Downregulate ErbB2 in Human Aortic Endothelial Cells
Kenny et al.
Exp. Biol. Med. 2004;229:255-263.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Vascular Effects of Cocoa Rich in Flavan-3-ols
Heiss et al.
JAMA 2003;290:1030-1031.
FULL TEXT  

Dietary flavanols and procyanidin oligomers from cocoa (Theobroma cacao) inhibit platelet function
Murphy et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003;77:1466-1473.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cocoa Flavonols and Procyanidins Promote Transforming Growth Factor-{beta}1 Homeostasis in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Mao et al.
Exp. Biol. Med. 2003;228:93-99.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT