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Do you need a good excuse to enjoy some chocolate? Then look no further - I've found it! Chocolate has been given a glowing report by German researchers, and while that doesn't mean that we have permission for a chocolate-free-for-all, it certainly gives a new perspective on this tasty treat.
Chocolate Linked To Positive Heart Health
 The dietary intake (including chocolate intake) and blood pressure levels of over 19,000 German adults were assessed by researchers who then monitored the participants health for 8 years, recording any instances of heart attack or stroke amongst the group. And finally at the conclusion of the 8 year study the participants' blood pressure was measured again.
The researchers found that those who consumed the most chocolate (around 7.5 grams per day) had lower blood pressure and a 39% lower risk of heart attack or stroke during the 8 year period than those participants who consumed little chocolate.
In practical terms, its estimated that around 219 strokes or heart attacks would occur over a 10 year period in a group of 10,000 people who consumed very little chocolate. If that same group had a greater intake of chocolate (around 7.5 grams per day) they could expect around 85 fewer strokes and heart attacks amongst the group of 10,000 people.
What is Good About Chocolate?
The researchers believe that certain compounds in cocoa, called flavanols, may be responsible for these positive effects. Flavonols increase the availability of certain gasses in the cells that line our blood vessels, thereby causing these cells to relax and widen which helps to lower our blood pressure. And lower blood pressure means better heart health!
But we need to balance this with the fact that chocolate contains a significant quantity of both fat and sugar, things that most of us don't need more of in our diet.
Practical Advice - Should We Really Eat More Chocolate?
Although these results are promising, we must recognise that what the researchers found was an association between chocolate intake and heart disease in later life. This study doesn't prove that the chocolate caused the reduction in risk. It may just mean that people who have a lower risk of heart disease seem to like chocolate more. Clinical trials are needed to confirm whether increasing chocolate intake really does decrease heart attack and stroke risk. Researchers also want to find out if dark chocolate is better than milk or white chocolate; as dark chocolate contains more flavanols this would seem logical, but is as yet unproven.
In the meantime, if you're partial to a sweet treat then there is no reason why you can't enjoy a small portion of chocolate each day - to replicate these possible effects, try just one small square of dark chocolate each day and remember that you need to reduce your intake of other treats or foods in order to balance out the energy you're consuming via chocolate.
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About The Author
Jennifer Bowden Nutritionist, MSc (Dist), BSc (Hons) - Human Nutrition
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