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Dark chocolate makes blood vessels more flexible
Posted on Mar 26th 2007 6:30AM by Bethany SandersThe evidence in favor of dark chocolate (in moderation) as a health food continues to mount. The most recent study found that when healthy adults ate 8 ounces of cocoa a day, their blood vessels' ability to expand and increase blood flow improved.
A group of 45 healthy adults were divided into three groups. One group was given cocoa without sugar, the second ate the cocoa with sugar, and the third had a placebo. The group that ate the cocoa without sugar showed a 2.4% improvement in something called flow mediated dilation of the upper arm. (This means that the vessels became more flexible and expanded in response to increase blood flow.) The group that ate the cocoa with sugar saw a 1.5% improvement, while the placebo group saw no change.
If you're interested in incorporating dark chocolate into your diet, consider this: Experts say you likely don't need more than an ounce a day, and to get heart benefits it should contain at least 70% cocoa solids. For more information on dark chocolate and it's benefits (as well as its drawbacks) click here. Finally, here's some yummy looking recipes for homemade hot cocoa (scroll to the bottom). Enjoy!
A group of 45 healthy adults were divided into three groups. One group was given cocoa without sugar, the second ate the cocoa with sugar, and the third had a placebo. The group that ate the cocoa without sugar showed a 2.4% improvement in something called flow mediated dilation of the upper arm. (This means that the vessels became more flexible and expanded in response to increase blood flow.) The group that ate the cocoa with sugar saw a 1.5% improvement, while the placebo group saw no change.
If you're interested in incorporating dark chocolate into your diet, consider this: Experts say you likely don't need more than an ounce a day, and to get heart benefits it should contain at least 70% cocoa solids. For more information on dark chocolate and it's benefits (as well as its drawbacks) click here. Finally, here's some yummy looking recipes for homemade hot cocoa (scroll to the bottom). Enjoy!
