PRODUKTE ENTHALTEND POLYPHENOL(E) UND L-ARGININ ZUR STIMULIERUNG DER STICKSTOFFOXIDPRODUKTION

• Main Authors: CHEVAUX, KATI, SCHMITZ, HAROLD, ROMANCZYK, LEO
• Format: Patent
• Language: German
• Published: 15.09.2007
• Subjects: CHEWING GUM; COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; CONFECTIONERY; FODDER; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; ICE-CREAM; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PREPARATION THEREOF; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS

Foods and pharmaceuticals which contain cocoa and/or nut procyanidin(s) in combination with L-arginine are effective to induce a physiological increase in nitric oxide production in a mammal having ingested the product. A preferred food product is a confection, particularly a dark or milk chocolate containing nuts. The procyanidins may be natural or synthetic and may be provided by food ingredients such as chocolate liquor and/or cocoa solids prepared from underfermented beans and nut skins. The L-arginine may be natural or synthetic and may be provided by food ingredients such as nut meats, nut pastes, and/or nut flours, seeds, seed pastes, and/or seed flours, or gelatin. The beneficial health effects may include, for example, reduced blood pressure, resistance to cardiovascular disease, and anticancer activity.