Dark chocolate and red wine 'the real food of love'

Washington, Jan 15 (ANI): Dark chocolate and red wine have "positivemponents that are good for your heart", a new study has claimed.

According to Susan Ofria from Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, red wine andark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher containesveratrol, which has been found to lower blood sugar.

Red wine is also a source of catechins, which could help improvegood" HDL cholesterol.

"You are not even choosing between the lesser of two evils, red winend dark chocolate have positive components that are actually good forour heart," Newswise quoted Ofria, a registered dietitian at theoyola University Health System's Melrose Park campus as saying.

Ofria, who is also a nutrition educator, has also recommended a listf heart-healthy ingredients for February, which is national heartonth, and for good heart health all year.

Along with red wine and dark chocolate, the list of heath-healthy foodomprises of salmon or tuna, especially white, or albacore, tuna andalmon, as they "are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, andanned salmon contains soft bones that give an added boost of calciumntake."

Next comes golden or brown flaxseeds, followed by oatmeal and black or kidney beans.

Walnuts and almonds, which "contain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E,agnesium, fiber and heart-favorable mono- and polyunsaturated fats",ome next in the list.

Blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries, which "are aood source of beta carotene and lutein, anthocyanin, ellagic acid,itamin C, folate, potassium and fiber," round off the top eighteart- healthy foods. (ANI)