by: Bert Middleton
First of all, I need to be clear about the kind of chocolate I am talking about: Chocolate made from raw cacao, or what I like to call ‘healthy dark chocolate’. This is one of the most powerful gout foods you can eat because raw cacao contains extremely high concentration of phytonutrient flavonoids, substances that act as powerful antioxidants in the body to reduce inflammation and protect cells from damage by free radicals.
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“…I noticed about a week after starting this dark chocolate regimen was that this stiffness seemed to be disappearing. This was interesting, so I kept eating the chocolate.”
Read: Bert’s Dark Chocolate Regimen
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Benefits of Healthy Dark Chocolate
During an active gout attack, antioxidants in raw cacao help to douse the ‘flames’ of acute inflammation by disrupting the inflammatory response cycle. This happens, research tells us, because raw cacao flavonoids and polyphenols act similarly to natural COX2 inhibitors — the same way that many NSAIDs (i.e., ibuprofen) work to reduce pain and swelling.
Chocolate as Prevention for Future Gout Attacks
It may be what you do when you’re not having a gout attack that matters most in preventing future attacks. By giving your body a constant and rich supply of antioxidants, you may be able to relieve the underlying issues that are igniting your gout flare ups.
- Antioxidants & Kidney Health: The protective power of antioxidants helps to keep the body functioning at its best, and this includes the health and functioning of the kidneys and their ability to eliminate uric acid. The kidneys may be especially helped by epicatechin flavonoids in chocolate, since these antioxidant flavonoids are among the most bio-absorbable.
- Raw Cacao & Leukotrienes: Leukotrienes are inflammatory proteins that are viewed as a key marker of chronic inflammation and arthritis, including gouty arthritis. Just like anti-inflammatory medications designed to target this inflammatory marker, flavonoids in raw cacaco have been found to help neutralize leukotrienes. This, too, can go a long way toward lasting gout relief.
- C-Reactive Proteins: If you have high levels of C-Reactive Proteins in your body, it’s viewed as a reliable sign that you also have inflammation present. Anti-inflammatory flavonoids found in raw cacao have been shown instrumental in dramatically reducing C-Reactive Proteins. Lower C-Reactive Protein levels means less inflammation — and less inflammation can mean fewer and less painful episodes of gouty arthritis.
The Basics: How Chocolate Helps To Relieve Gout
Bert’s Thoughts: Dark Chocolate Regimen
The Details: Not All Chocolate Is Created Equal