Just a nibble of a good thing
This is one topic I am always happy to report on: The benefits of dark chocolate.
German researchers have linked the lowering of high blood pressure with this delicious, healthful treat. The study involved 44 adults between the ages of 56 and 73. Participants had either mildly elevated blood pressure or borderline blood pressure just shy of being hypertensive. Except for the potential issue of their blood pressure, they were healthy, not being treated with drugs for their slight elevations, and were not taking any supplements.
The participants were divided into two groups. For 18 weeks, one group received a 30-calorie per day dose of dark chocolate while the other received their dose in white chocolate. The difference between the two is that dark chocolate contains cocoa and white chocolate does not.
Both groups were told to eat their small servings of chocolate two hours after dinner and not to change any other normal habits, such as their regular dietary and exercise habits. However, they had to keep a diet-and-exercise journal.
The participants had their blood pressure tested at the beginning, halfway through, and at the end of the study. By the end, the dark-chocolate-eating group averaged a lowering of their systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) by three points and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a reading) by two points.
For those in the white-chocolate-eating group, there was no difference in their blood-pressure readings.
The researchers believe the difference came from the healthy antioxidants that dark chocolate contains—flavanols.
What this means for you is that a little dark chocolate goes a long way. The reason that I always preach moderation when it comes to dark chocolate is its calorie content.
Some of the brands of dark chocolate that I prefer are Green and Black, Dagoba, and Scharffen Berger. When you choose your dark chocolate, I recommend that you look for a minimum of 70 percent cocoa content.
