Chocolate good for heart

A small dose of chocolate every day could lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40 percent.

Previous studies have suggested that dark chocolate in small amounts is good for overall well being, but none of the studies have tracked the effects of chocolate for long periods of time. To investigate the association of chocolate consumption with measured blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease, researchers assessed the dietary intake and BP of 19,357 Americans, aged between 35 and 65 years.

The participants were made to fill several questionnaires about their diet, including chocolate, and exercise habits at regular intervals. None of the participants had a history of heart problems at the beginning of the study, had similar habits for risk factors like smoking and exercise, and did not vary widely in their body mass index. During the follow-up of eight years, 166 participants had a heart attack and 136 had a stroke.

The mean systolic BP was 1.0 mmHg and mean diastolic BP 0.9 mmHg lower in the top quartile compared with the bottom quartile of chocolate consumption. It was found that people who had an average of six grams of chocolate per day - or about one square of a chocolate bar - had a 40 percent lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke.

The above findings suggest that chocolate consumption lowers cardiovascular risk through reduction of blood pressure. However, further research, in particular randomised trials, is needed to confirm this.