Can chocolate really lower your blood pressure? Based on a recent Spanish university study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the answer may well be yes. Researchers studied the effects of cocoa powder on hypertension in rats, which are considered to be a reliable animal model for human hypertension. The cocoa powder used was a commercially available brand rich in flavonoids, dietary phytochemicals believed to have healthful effects.
The rats were fed just a single dose of the cocoa powder in varying amounts. The optimum dose for systolic blood pressure improvement was 300 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, and the result was remarkable. Just four hours following the administration of a single dose, systolic pressure (the first number cited in a blood pressure reading) was reduced by 60 points. The optimum dose for diastolic pressure (the second number cited in a blood pressure reading) was 100 milligrams per kilgram of body weight, with a reduction of 50 points following a single dose. The results are comparable to those achieved by the prescription drug Captopril, a commonly prescribed drug for hypertension.
Researchers believe the procyanidins, part of the flavonoid family of naturally occurring dietary phytochemicals, are responsible for the effect. If you're a chocolate lover and want to benefit from the possible health benefits, look no further than the premium chocolate aisle at the grocery store. Choose dark chocolate bars containing 70% or more cocoa, and enjoy!
