German researchers have found that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily can help lower blood pressure without causing weight gain.
According to a report by Singapore's "United Morning Post," researcher Taube of the University of Cologne, Germany, pointed out in a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: "Regular consumption of small amounts of dark chocolate can lower blood pressure."
Previous studies had found that cocoa-rich foods like dark chocolate are beneficial to the heart, but researchers had been concerned that the sugar, fat, and calories in chocolate would negate the benefits provided by cocoa components. Now, German research indicates that consuming 6.8 grams of dark chocolate, containing 30 calories, daily can lower blood pressure, and moreover, this amount of chocolate does not lead to weight gain or other adverse effects.
Taube and his team studied 44 adults aged between 56 and 76. They divided this group into two, with one group consuming dark chocolate containing 30 mg of polyphenols and 30 calories, and the other group consuming white chocolate with 30 calories.
After 18 weeks, the group that ate dark chocolate saw a three-point reduction in systolic blood pressure and a two-point reduction in diastolic blood pressure.