Milk With Cocoa Found To Reduce Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Disease

A clinical study in Spain has found that drinking milk fortified with cocoa was associated with a five percent boost in HDL cholesterol levels and a 14 percent drop in oxidized LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Drinking only milk had no such effect. Study participants, whose mean age was 70, drank 500 ml of skimmed milk fortified with 40 g of cocoa powder every day for four weeks. Scientists said regular consumption of cocoa would be a “useful tool against risk factors” for cardiovascular disease because cocoa is rich in polyphenols that may prevent LDL molecules from being oxidized.