Flavanols are chemical compounds found in chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, which cause blood vessels to dilate.
Dr. Karen Ried of the University of Adelaide led the study. She notes, “Flavanols have been shown to increase the formation of endothelial nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation and consequently may lower blood pressure. There have, however, been conflicting results as to the real-life effects of eating chocolate. We’ve found that consumption can significantly, albeit modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure, but not for people with normal blood pressure.”
The current analysis found that people with high blood pressure may see a reduction of 5mmHg systolic, which is significant and is similar to the effect of regular exercise on blood pressure, which is 4-9 mmHg). This level of reduction could reduce the risk of heart disease over 5 years by around 20%.
The researchers caution that chocolate consumption as a long term treatment for high blood pressure isn’t very practical, and that over-consumption of chocolate can lead to its own health risks. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2007 found that consuming about 125 joules per day of dark chocolate can lower blood pressure without weight gain.
As a bonus, further research from the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at the University of Copenhagen, showed that eating dark chocolate is more filling than eating other kinds of chocolate and it reduces cravings for more sweet, fatty, or salty foods. Enjoy.
