Cocoa, Dark Chocolate

Introduction:

Chocolate comes from the cacao plant. Cacao is extraordinarily rich in flavonols, which act as antioxidants. The many evidence-based health benefits of consuming dark chocolate will be discussed below.

Chocolate consumption and hypertension:

Blood pressure and chocolate intake: In a study involving 14,310 adults from various regions of Jordan, higher intake of dark chocolate was found to be associated with lower blood pressure. No particular effects on heart rate were found. Subjects were divided into 3 categories according to dark chocolate intake: 1) mild (1-2 bars/wk); 2) moderate (3-4 bars/wk); and 3) high (more than 4 bars/wk), and results showed that higher intakes of dark chocolate were associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, regardless of age or family history of hypertension. These results suggest that intake of dark chocolate may be associated with lower blood pressure. (1)