A new study suggests that moderate consumption of dark chocolate may help prevent oral cancer. According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, researchers from Guangxi Medical University in China published findings in the prestigious SCI journal Frontiers in Nutrition. The study revealed that daily consumption of dark chocolate could slash the risk of oral cancer by a whopping 75%.
Dark chocolate is made of cocoa solids packed with powerful antioxidants. Researchers explain that these compounds play a crucial role in preventing the formation of oral tumors.
The study involved about 10,000 volunteers, with roughly one-third having been diagnosed with oral cancer.
For their research, the team categorized foods and drinks into ten groups: tea, chocolate, coffee, cooked veggies, fruits, and fish.
Surprisingly, dark chocolate and sweet peppers were the only foods that showed significant tumor-preventing properties, with prevention rates up to 26%. Unlike its heavily processed cousin, milk chocolate, dark chocolate is a goldmine of natural plant compounds with cancer-fighting abilities.
However, it’s worth noting that the study didn’t measure the exact amount of chocolate consumed by participants. Critics point out that this is a limitation, as the research only confirms that chocolate was a regular part of the participants’ diets without specifying quantities.
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