Dark chocolate seems to lower blood pressure but the amount of chocolate involves one square from a German chocolate bar called Ritter Sport, equal to about 1 1/2 Hershey's Kisses.
Though the reductions in the readings of blood pressure with dark chocolate were small but it was still good enough to potentially reduce cardiovascular disease risks. The researchers tracked just 44 people aged 56 through 73 and the results were similar to other small studies of cocoa-containing foods, which contain flavanols - plant-based compounds credited with giving red wine its heart-healthy benefits.
After a while, the systolic blood pressure, the top number, fell an average of nearly three points and diastolic dropped almost two points in the dark chocolate group, compared with no change in blood pressure readings in the white chocolate group.
Researchers have concluded that consuming steady amounts of dark chocolate prompted chemical changes in hypertension people that helped dilate blood vessels and regulate blood pressure.
The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. It was funded by University Hospital in Cologne.
