Life style

Is dark chocolate good for you ?

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/1

Humans have been consuming some form of chocolate for hundreds of years. For most of this time, it came in the form of liquid cacao, made from cacao beans.Some cultures – but not all – have since added sugar, milk and shiny packaging. Those still consuming cacao more traditionally, meanwhile, have ignited a debate over whether chocolate can be good for our health.

The Kuna Indians, for instance, who live on the San Blas Islands of Panama, have low blood pressure that doesn’t rise with age, low levels of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancer, and they tend to die old, says Marji McCullough, senior scientific director of epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society.And contrary to the scientific consensus that excessive salt can increase blood pressure, their diet contains as much salt as the average US person’s.

To find out exactly what they consume on a daily basis, McCullough visited the Kuna Indians. She discovered that they were consuming around four cups of cocoa – cacao mixed with water and small amounts of sugar – every day.But McCullough can’t attribute the Kuna Indian’s great health to cocoa-drinking with any certainty – especially since they were also eating twice as much fruit and four times as much fish as the average US diet. Plus, they live more active lifestyles than we generally do in the West.

Many other observational studies have looked at the heart benefits of dark chocolate, but they may be biased because people who eat chocolate more frequently tend to have fewer concerns about their weight, says JoAnn Manson, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She adds that they may also be healthier to begin with.In one study, researchers looked at the diets and health of 20,000 people, and found that eating up to 100g of chocolate – including milk chocolate – a day was associated with lower risk of heart disease and stroke. They controlled for other factors that might influence this, including smoking and exercise levels, but said there could be other explanations rather than the chocolate.

And then came a large clinical trial that could control for other possible causes, like diet and lifestyle. It was based on the hunch that the potential health benefits of cacao could be down to its high level of flavonoids, plant compounds also found in berries and tea.

The Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study, involving 21,000 people, found that taking 400 to 500mg daily cocoa flavanol supplements could reduce a person’s risk of dying from heart disease by reducing blood pressure and inflammation in the body.The scientists used supplements instead of actual cacao because the concentration of flavonoids can vary hugely across different chocolate brands, depending on the harvesting, manufacturing and processing, says Manson, who was also principal investigator of the trial.

Dark chocolate may have up to four times as many flavonoids as tea, but research shows that flavanol content is reduced during the manufacturing process.I don’t think any approach to increase flavanol content in chocolates will make them a ‘health food’ – Gunter Kuhnle As a consequence, there is currently no consensus about the amount of cocoa flavanols you’d need to see any health benefits, says Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading.

While the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) says around 200mg of cocoa flavonoids, or 10g of dark chocolate is beneficial, more recent data suggests that about 500mg per day is more likely to make a difference to our health. That’s the equivalent of a little under one small 30g bar of chocolate.

“I don’t think any approach to increase flavanol content in chocolates will make them a ‘health food’,” Kuhnle says.

Dark chocolate also contains something else we don’t know much about. It’s one of the few sources – apart from coffee – of the plant molecule theobromine.While it is a psychoactive substance, theobromine – which is in the same family as caffeine – can give you a “smoother hit” than caffeine, says Chris Alford, professor in applied psychology at the University of the West of England. And the darker the chocolate, the stronger the hit.

“If you’re eating a lot of dark chocolate, you may get a genuine hit, and the theobromine may be nicer than the caffeine hit,” he says.

For those who are concerned that chocolate increases the risk of heart disease, some researchers say it actually doesn’t need to be avoided.Dark chocolate usually also contains sugar, but one way to avoid this is to opt for chocolate with a higher percentage cocoa than the proportion found in milk chocolate.

Chocolate’s dark side

Testing the effects of cocoa flavanol supplements also bypasses the other components of dark chocolate: sugar and saturated fat. Dark chocolate often contains cocoa butter, which is high in saturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

“The fats in chocolate all come from cocoa butter, but while evidence says stearic acid has a neutral effect on cholesterol, a third of fat in cocoa butter is saturated and deleterious to health,” says Aedin Cassidy, professor at the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University in Belfast.

While researchers haven’t explicitly recommended eating chocolate to stave off heart disease, one paper concludes that regularly eating dark chocolate is likely to have net benefits to our health, and that the strongest evidence base pertains to heart health.And eating little portions of dark chocolate could help tackle unhealthy eating habits, says Duane Mellor, dietician at Aston Medical School.

“Small amounts of chocolate won’t be harmful and may challenge your relationship with chocolate, because you can enjoy a small amount and not feel guilty. The bitterness tends to make it self-limiting.”

The problem is – the higher the cocoa flavonoid content of a chocolate bar, the more bitter the taste, and the more bitter the taste, the less marketable it is.

“There’s a conflict between the good bits of cocoa and what we need to put with it to make it edible and enjoyable,” says Mellor.

What if the process of preserving the taste of the cocoa bean also, incidentally, results in a healthier chocolate? To make matters more complicated, it’s possible that fat and sugar helps make the flavonoids in chocolate more bioavailable, which means they’re easier for the body to take in.

“Some of these flavanols are complex organic compounds, and one way we can make them available is sticking sugar onto them,” he says.

There just isn’t enough research for anyone to look at the cocoa flavanol and sugar content in chocolate to conclude where the sweet spot is.Also, there’s still no way of knowing how many cocoa flavanols you’re getting.

“Chocolate is not a health food, and, considering the amount of sugar and fat in most chocolates, it is likely that any benefit from flavanols are negligible compared to the adverse effects of overeating,” says Kuhnle.

The quest for taste

There seems to be a surge in smaller “bean-to-bar” companies producing higher percentage cocoa with a focus on preserving taste, rather than any possible health benefits.But what if the process of preserving the taste of the cocoa bean also, incidentally, results in a healthier chocolate?

Cocoa beans grown on the Solomon Islands in the Pacific are picked at the exact moment of ripeness, says Martyn O’Dare, co-founder of chocolate brand Firetree Chocolate. The farmers then break open the cocoa pods and start the six-day process of fermentation, before drying them out. Some of the dried beans are then sent to the UK, to Firetree, where they are roasted whole.

This was how it was originally done, but in the early part of the 20th Century, things changed, according to O’Dare.Chocolate companies relied on two crops from farmers – the main crop, harvested from November to January, and the mid-crop, from January to June, he says.

“The mid-crops were smaller and slightly inferior, and weren’t initially sold. Then, companies started buying them at a discount, and farmers realised they were selling good beans at a lower price, so started mixing in the mid-crop with the main crop,” he says.While you can find flavanols in many different foods alongside chocolate, studies suggest that dark chocolate can fit within a healthy diet

“This meant that chocolate companies were receiving different size beans, which would require different roasting times. So they decided to start breaking open the shells so they could roast just the nibs.”

Whether this story is hearsay or not, the truth remains that smaller chocolate-makers might be on to something: roasting the whole bean, rather than just the nibs, often involves roasting at a lower temperature for longer.

We know that if we cook vegetables too long, fewer nutrients stay intact. But whether the same can be said for dark chocolate and the fruit it comes from, the cacao bean, remains to be seen – more research needs to be done.Still, while you can find flavanols in many different foods alongside chocolate, studies suggest that dark chocolate can fit within a healthy diet.

“It’s reasonable to have high percentage dark chocolate several times a week as long as you’re avoiding excessive calories, but it shouldn’t be perceived as a health food you try to eat more of,” says Manson.

“Try to increase flavanols through diet, with tea, berries, grapes and other fruits, as well as a reasonable, moderate amount of high-cacao chocolate,” she says. (BBC)

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Life style

The letter that revealed the man behind the legend

Published

2 days ago

2026/05/10

Thilina Walpola

As the world celebrates the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, tributes continue to pour in from scientists, conservationists, filmmakers, and millions of admirers whose lives were shaped by the legendary natural historian’s work.

But among the many messages shared this week, one deeply personal reflection from renowned Sri Lankan-born scientist Dr. Ruchira Somaweera has captured the true essence of the man behind the iconic voice.

“We all have people we look up to and hope to be like one day,” Dr. Somaweera wrote in a moving tribute marking Attenborough’s centenary. “For me, one of those people has always been Sir David Attenborough.”

The story dates back to 2013, when a BBC⁠ documentary crew visited to explore Dr. Somaweera’s pioneering work on freshwater crocodiles for a potential wildlife series. Although his research ultimately did not make it into the final production, the encounter led to something far more meaningful.

Through members of the crew, Dr. Somaweera sent Attenborough a card expressing gratitude for the profound influence he had on three generations of his family.

“What I never expected,” he recalled, “was to receive a handwritten letter from him just two weeks later, thanking me for the kind words.”

For Dr. Somaweera, the gesture revealed something extraordinary about Attenborough — not merely the global icon known to billions, but a deeply gracious and humble human being who still took time to personally respond to admirers, despite decades of worldwide fame.

“It said so much about the man behind the legend,” he reflected.

That quiet act of kindness perhaps explains why Attenborough’s influence extends far beyond television screens. Across nearly eight decades, he has become not only the world’s most recognisable natural history broadcaster, but also one of the most trusted voices in science communication and conservation advocacy.

From Life on Earth to Planet Earth, Blue Planet and countless other landmark productions, Attenborough transformed the way humanity sees the natural world.

He brought remote rainforests, coral reefs, deserts, mountains, and deep oceans into living rooms around the globe, inspiring generations to care about ecosystems they might never physically encounter.

Few communicators have bridged science and emotion with such extraordinary power.

For Sri Lankan scientists and conservationists, Attenborough’s impact has been especially profound. Many grew up watching his documentaries, developing an early fascination with wildlife through his storytelling.

Dr. Somaweera’s own career reflects that inspiration. Widely respected for his work on crocodilians, reptiles, and conservation biology, he has become an internationally recognised scientist whose research has contributed significantly to understanding freshwater ecosystems and reptile conservation.

Yet even accomplished scientists, it seems, can remain awestruck by the people who first ignited their curiosity.

The timing of Dr. Somaweera’s tribute also resonates strongly, following recent screenings of Attenborough’s powerful documentary Ocean, including an exclusive showing hosted by Spa Ceylon⁠ at SCOPE Cinema.

In the film, Attenborough reflects on humanity’s relationship with the sea with a sense of urgency sharpened by a lifetime of observation.

“After living for nearly 100 years on this planet,” he says, “I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

The documentary explores the astonishing biodiversity of oceans while warning against destructive practices, such as industrial bottom trawling, climate change, and marine habitat destruction. But even amid alarming realities, Attenborough continues to offer hope grounded in science and collective action.

That enduring optimism may be one reason why his influence spans generations.

“Happy 100th birthday to a true giant of science communication, storytelling and conservation advocacy,” Dr. Somaweera wrote in his tribute. “The impact you have had on the world, and on countless young minds, is immeasurable.”

Indeed, for millions around the world, Attenborough’s voice became synonymous with wonder itself.

He taught humanity that the planet is not merely scenery, but a living system of intricate relationships — forests breathing for oceans, coral reefs feeding fisheries, plankton generating oxygen, predators maintaining balance, and every species playing a role in the fragile architecture of life.

At 100, Sir David Attenborough remains more than a broadcaster.

He is a witness to a changing planet. A storyteller for the natural world. And for many scientists like Dr. Ruchira Somaweera, a lifelong inspiration whose greatest legacy may lie not only in the documentaries he created, but in the curiosity, compassion, and responsibility he awakened in others.

By Ifham Nizam

Life style

Two hearts, one ocean

Published

2 days ago

2026/05/10

Thilina Walpola

At the press conference hosted by Manipal Hospitals at Kingsbury Hotel, where the historic Sri Lanka-India Ocean Water Swim was unveiled, spotlighting endurance and cross border unity

The first Lanka-India swim by a couple

Bengali couple,Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi, created history by undertaking the first ever Sri Lanka-India Ocean Water Swim, reflecting not only athlete excellence and endurance but also the deep rooted cultural and historical connection between India and Sri Lanka.

Sharing their thoughts, before the event, Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi expressed enthusiasm about their challenges. “We are excited to take this unique expedition and are proud to align it with a message of health and wellness. This expedition stands as a powerful symbol of unity.

The first even Sri Lanka-India Ocean Water Swim, presented by Manipal Hospitals, is not just another event, it is a bold endurance crossing of geography, grit and shared history between Sri Lanka and India.

This message was unfolded at a press conference held at the Kingsbury Hotel, before the event, by the officials of the giant Manipal Hospitals. The spotlight, however, firmly rested on the two swimmers, a couple, who brought this vision to life.

Vrushali Prasade and her husband Danish Abdi, in their 30s from Bengal are working in the IT industry. They learnt swimming only about four years ago, after first taking to waters during a holiday in the Maldives. The Island met them before their historic attempt.

Poised yet quietly determined, the swimmers embodied the spirit of the challenges ahead, At the press conference they spoke on true discipline, preparations and mental strength required to take on such a historic crossing.

Manipal Hospitals, India’s largest Pan Multi Speciality Hospital, are the main sponsors , symbolically connecting the two nations, India and Sri Lanka, through sport, healthcare and shared ambition.

The couple had previously swam the Indian Ocean as part of the rally but the recent Indian Ocean swim is their first solo couple effort and the longest. They were assisted by multiple boats, alongside paramedics and coast guards.

The Chief Operating Officer, Manipal Health Enterprise Karthik Rajagopal said this historic swim reflects not only athlete excellence and endurance, but also the deep rooted cultural and historical connection between the two countries, The swimmers Vrushali and Danish Abdi said, before the event: ” Swimming is for all ages whether you are a kid or a matured person, it is never too late to start for any age group. When asked about their challenges of undertaking such a historic feat, they said. “The Palk Strait is no gentle stretch of water, its currents are unpredictable, its tides restless . Unlike the the controlled calm of a swimming pool, the sea offers no guarantee, one moment they may bring a steady rhythm, the next, a surge that breaks it entirely. But we are excited to take on this unique expedition and proud to resonate the message of health and wellness to the world’

Fatigue, inevitably becomes a companion and also long hours in open water test not just muscle strength but mental resilience. Jellyfish often drift with currents making the calm swim into a painful endurance test.

“With limited visibility, we can suddenly brush against tentacles, turning a steady rhythm into a moment of sharp pain. In the vast unpredictability of the ocean, we have to chose whatever the sea offers.”

Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi: The young Bengali couple who conquered the ocean

They also said the route across the Palk Strait is deceptively complex. Though relatively shallow, those waters are known for shifting currents, strong tidal pulls and unpredictable winds. We cannot rely on a straight path, we move guided by pilots on escort boats who constantly adjust the direction based on the sea conditions. Then we have the unpredictability of the sea itself. Floating debris, sudden weather shifts and there is no wall to hold onto, no pause button only the rhythm of our stroke and breath. Vrushali and Danish expressed enthusiasm about these challenges . We are very excited to overcome all these challenges.’

‘Our decision, however, to take on the challenging stretch across the Palk strait is rooted in more than a personal achievement, said the couple. They spoke of the partnership aspect of the swim calling it both their biggest strength and unique challenge.

Behind the drama of the sea and the determination of the swimmers, lies a quieter crucial force,the medical backbone. As title sponsor, Manipal Hospitals was not merely lending its name to this event. They actively shaped the safety framework that make such a ambitious feat possible.

Manipal Hospitals is the largest Pan India Speciality Hospital network by bed capacity, boasting over 12,300. It is known for its expert medical expertise multi speciality care and commitment to patient centric care and also well connected to Sri Lanka’s medical and patient community especially for spine and oncology services.

Medical teams were stationed on escort boats equipped to respond instantly to issues ranging from hydration and hypothermia to jellyfish stings or muscle cramps. All in all the hospital’s participation underscores a broader message, promoting health, endurance sports and cross border collaboration.

In the end what the couple did places them in the same conversation as some of the world’s most daring open water swimmers, those who have conquered icy channels relentless tides and vast strong winds.

As the couple moved through the waters of the Palk Strait, their journey becomes a powerful metaphor for the relationship between Sri Lanka and India, two neighbours bound by history, culture and shared oceans. It is a quiet but powerful gesture of goodwill, reminding that while seas may separate lands, they can also bring them together.

By Zanita Careem

Life style

Galle Face Hotel introduces “La Sérénité”

Published

2 days ago

2026/05/10

Thilina Walpola

Young invitees bringing new energy and elegance

Limited-Time Saturday Brunch at 1864 Limited Edition

The spirit of leisurely weekend dining came alive recently as La Sérénité Saturday Brunch unfolded in elegant style at 1864 Limited Edition at the iconic Galle Face Hotel.Set against the timeless charm of Colombo’s most historic seaside hotel. guests were treated to an indulgent culinary afternoon where sophistication, flavour and oceanfront glamour blended seamlessly.

The heritage charm of Galle Face Hotel, with its polished floors, high ceilings and whisper of history, created a backdrop that is both grand and intimate.Within this setting the brunch emerges not just as a culinary offering but as a carefully orchestrated experience. At the heart of this orchestration was the vision of the General Manager Suresh Abbas. A veteran in the hotel industry, under his leadership, the culinary team delivered a menu for selected invitees, a menu that balanced European finess with contemporary flair .

From gourmet seafood and international delicacies to locally inspired creations and decadent desserts, the spread offered a luxurious journey for discerning brunch lovers.

The GM’s influence is most visible in the intangible details, The curated menu, personalised service and elegant ambience all echoed the hotel’s dedication to offering memorable gastronic experience.The brunch remained international in character while still grounded in place.

La Sérénité, a thoughtfully conceived brunch experience, at 1864 Limited Edition, brings together a sense of calm, continuity, and culinary storytelling within one of the city’s most enduring landmarks.

Set against the pace of a restless world, La Sérénité is designed as a quiet counterpoint, an invitation to pause, to gather, and to ease into the weekend with intention. Since 1864, Galle Face Hotel has existed within this paradox, offering a sense of stillness and reassurance even as the world around it has continually evolved. This brunch extends that legacy, creating a space where time softens, conversation flows unhurriedly, and presence takes precedence.

At its core, La Sérénité is not only about the experience of slowing down, but also about the stories we return to through food. The menu is conceived as a subtle journey through culinary history, drawing from moments across continents and generations, where dishes have been shaped by instinct, refinement, and time.

There is a quiet familiarity in this approach. Classics are not reimagined for novelty, but carefully refined, preserving their essence while elevating their form. The experience moves between contrast and balance, simplicity and indulgence, tradition and gentle reinterpretation. In doing so, it offers something both recognised and rediscovered.

In this way, La Sérénité becomes more than a brunch. It is a curated timeline of taste, an experience that brings together memory, familiarity, and thoughtful refinement within a setting that invites calm.

Presented as a limited-time experience, La Sérénité commenced on 2nd May and takes place every Saturday at 1864 Limited Edition.