Chocolate’s good for you

A study has found that chocolate reduces the risk of stroke or heart attack by increasing the flow of blood around the brain and lowering blood pressure.

Chocolate lovers, rejoice. Research shows that regularly consuming as little as a square of chocolate a day helps to reduce your blood pressure and thus your chance of succumbing to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Scientist have found that people eating just 7.5 grams of chocolate daily were at a 39% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared with those who ate just 1.7 grams.

The study, published in the European Heart journal, found that modest chocolate intake had a significant effect on people’s blood pressure. The benefits were more pronounced for a reduced risk of a stroke, but also brought less chance of a heart attack too.

Researchers led by Dr Brain Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist of Human Nutrition, made the link after studying the health of 19, 357 Germans aged 35 – 65 for at least 10 years. They believe that flavanols, substances in cocoa that boost the body’s supply of nitric oxide, contribute to the chocolate eaters’ lowered blood pressure.

The research confirms an association which other studies have made. The lower likelihood of stroke may be due to cocoa increasing the flow of blood around the brain, the authors say. Among 1,568 participants whose chocolate intake was tracked, 57% ate milk chocolate, 24% preferred dark and 2% ate white chocolate. The dark variety contains more flavonals, and so is thought to have a greater effect.

However, these findings should not lead to chocolate gluttony, said the authors. Further research is needed before small amounts of chocolate can be prescribed to prevent CVD.

“The amount consumed on average by even the highest consumer was about one square a chocolate a day or a half a small chocolate Easter egg in a week, so the benefits were associated with a fairly small amount of chocolate, “ said Victoria Taylor, the British Heart Foundation’s senior hear health nurse.

Those attempted to indulge should remember that chocolate contains large amounts of calories and saturated fats, which are related to weight gain and high cholesterol – two risk factors for heart disease. And people should also eat fruit, vegetables and oily fish and be active for at least half an hour daily, Taylor said

Guardian News & Media 2010

By Dennis Campbell