Super Food: Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure Part 2

“The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” ~ Voltaire

Reseach findings for a second clinical study released in April confirm the powerful medicinal healing elements of cocoa. Chocolate is a super healing food!

German researchers reported in April 2007 that foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure. The drop in blood pressure among participants who consumed cocoa products for at least two weeks was in the same range as achieved by someone taking drugs commonly prescribed to control high blood pressure. This fact is huge and could have major implications for the millions of people taking medication for their high blood pressure. The fall in blood pressure credited to cocoa could be expected to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks by 10 percent to 20 percent, the report said.

Dark chocolate has beneficial properties to lower one’s blood pressure, but not drinking green and black tea, according to an analysis of previously published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, a class of chemicals known to help prevent cardiovascular disease, and are present in most fruits and vegetables. But cocoa has a different type than tea — procyanids — that appear to be more active.

Currently, patients with high blood pressure are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables, although cocoa and tea products account for the bulk of total polyphenol consumption in Western countries, the study said.

THE TAKE-AWAY:Research study author, Dirk Taubert of the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, stated, “Don’t start gobbling up chocolate bars just yet, he cautions, rationally applied, cocoa products might be considered part of dietary approaches to lower hypertension risk.”

( Source: Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure)

EAT SMART...STAY HEALTHY!