TheAustralian Heart Foundation has revealed that there is no cardiovascular healthbenefit from eating chocolate or drinking coffee or red wine, even though theycontain antioxidants.
Susan Anderson, the HeartFoundation’s national director of healthy weight, said a review of morethat 100 scientific papers found that even though the three were commonlyreferred to as part of a heart healthy diet, they werenot.
“Chocolate, coffee and red wine are okay as part of abalanced diet,” the New Zealand Herald quoted Anderson as saying in astatement released May 11.
“But these findings confirm that ifyou’re consuming them thinking you’re reducing your risk of heartdisease then think again.
“The best way to get enoughantioxidants is to eat a variety of plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruit,legumes, wholegrain breads and cereals, nuts and seeds every day,” shestated.
She went on to say that people were best advised to eat atleast two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables everyday.
Tea on the other hand was confirmed as helping to lower heartattack risk, though where milk was added it should be reduced, low or nofat.
There was insufficient evidence to recommend eating either milkor dark chocolate, drinking coffee, red wine or other alcoholic drinks or useantioxidant supplements, such as vitamins E and C.
Anderson saidthere were widespread misconceptions about which foods were positive forcardiovascular health, and the results of the review would be sent to doctorsand other health professionals.