Daily consumption of a dark chocolate containing flavanols prevents genotoxicity in buccal epithelial cells and improves biochemical parameters related to cardiovascular risk factors in young adults

Epidemiological and medical anthropological investigations suggest that flavanol-rich foods exert cardiovascular health benefits. Chocolate is a food that is known to be rich in flavonoids, the main flavonoids in chocolate is flavan-3-ol epicatechin. However, the bioavailability and the biological effects of the chocolate flavonoids are poorly understood. The objective was to quantify the effect of epicatechin ingested via dark chocolate on changes in biochemical parameters. Also to determine if the ingestion of dark chocolate rich in epicatechin exert anti-gentoxic effect in buccal epithelial cells of young adults. Thirty apparently healthy men (20 to 30 years old) participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial during tree months. Consumption of dark chocolate or low-flavanol chocolate (2 g) was daily ingested. Genotoxicity in buccal epithelial cells was determined by identify and quantify micronuclei in the exfoliated cells of oral mucosa in individuals before the interve...