Chocolate Researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, have been analysing 15 other studies to try and ascertain exactly what chocolate does to blood pressure and why. What they found was that flavonoids, found in chocolate, as well as onions, beans and cranberries, help in the production of endothelial nitric oxide. This in turn encourages vasodilation – the widening of blood vessels – and so can help lower blood pressure.
Sounds great, but does that mean you should be treating yourself to a little chocolate every day? Not necessarily. The researchers found no benefit for people who have normal blood pressure, and although the researchers did find that eating chocolate reduces blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure, the results aren’t so dramatic that it would be a recommended course of action. Blood pressure was reduced by 5mm Hg systolic, which is about the same reduction you would see if you did about 30 minutes of walking per day – a far healthier option all round.
"It would be nice if chocolate were a health food, but it’s not," says registered nutritionist Carina Norris, author of The Food Manual (Haynes). "It contains saturated fat, which contributes to clogged arteries and poor heart health. Instead, eat fruit, vegetables and drink green tea – all of which contain flavonoids."
First published July 6, 2010