Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Good news for dark chocolate-lovers?
Reuters ^ | 7-19-05

Posted on 07/20/2005 10:47:44 AM PDT by kingattax

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported Monday.

The study, published by the American Heart Association, joins a growing body of research that show compounds found in chocolate called flavonoids can help the blood vessels work more smoothly, perhaps reducing the risk of heart disease.

"Previous studies suggest flavonoid-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine and chocolate, might offer cardiovascular benefits, but this is one of the first clinical trials to look specifically at dark chocolate's effect on lowering blood pressure among people with hypertension," said Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University in Boston, who led the study.

"This study is not about eating more chocolate," Blumberg added. "It suggests that cocoa flavonoids appear to have benefits on vascular function and glucose sensitivity."

Scientists are far from being able to make specific recommendations for patients based on their research on chocolate, and nutritionists have urged people to be cautious because chocolate is high in fat, sugar and calories.

Blumberg and colleagues at the University of L'Aquila in Italy studied 10 men and 10 women with high blood pressure.

For 15 days, half ate a daily 3.5 ounce (100 gram) bar of specially formulated, flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, while the other half ate the same amount of white chocolate.

Then each group "crossed over" and ate the other chocolate.

"White chocolate, which has no flavonoids, was the perfect control food because it contains all the other ingredients and calories found in dark chocolate," Blumberg said.

"It's important to note that the dark chocolate we used had a high level of flavonoids, giving it a slightly bittersweet taste. Most Americans eat milk chocolate, which has a low amount of these compounds."

Writing in the journal Hypertension, Blumberg's team said when the volunteers ate the special dark chocolate, they had a 12 mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and a 9 mm Hg decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) on average.

Blood pressure did not change when the volunteers ate white chocolate.

"This is not only a statistically significant effect, but it's also a clinically meaningful decline," Blumberg said. "This is the kind of reduction in blood pressure often found with other healthful dietary interventions."

Eating dark chocolate also seemed to improve how the body used insulin, and reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol by about 10 percent on average.

"The findings do not suggest that people with high blood pressure should eat lots of dark chocolate in lieu of other important blood pressure-reduction methods, such as medication and exercise," Blumberg said. "Rather, we are identifying specific flavonoids that can have a benefit on blood pressure and insulin sensitivity."


TOPICS: Food; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: chocolate; medication; stressrelief
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last
To: kellynch
Kit Kats are fantastic... I heard rumor from my StarWars fanatic brother that they are producing more dark chocolate MM's for the release of their next wave of action figures, which will be next month. I don't care about the toys, I just miss the chocolate!

Canadians are lucky... they get all the European chocolate without the tariffs. However, I only live but 2 hours from the border, so if I really want it, I can get it (in bulk, of course) cheap. No reason to move there.

21 posted on 09/11/2005 4:43:17 PM PDT by RedBeaconNY (Vous parlez trop, mais vous ne dites rien.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: RedBeaconNY
My parents summer in NB -- a province with a conservative premier -- and winter in Florida, in a solid Republican congressional district. They're trying to be as "pure" as possible. They're leaving for Florida in a few weeks, so Mom better hurry and send me more dark chocolate Kit Kats!

As for the dark M&Ms, I still cannot find them. I ask for them all the time, but nobody in NYC seems to stock them.

22 posted on 09/11/2005 4:48:43 PM PDT by kellynch (I am excessively diverted ~~Jane Austen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: kingattax

Still waiting for the "Good News for Binge Drinkers of Cheap Beer" article.


23 posted on 09/11/2005 4:53:51 PM PDT by Mr. Blonde (You know, Happy Time Harry, just being around you kinda makes me want to die.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson