Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure and Protects Your Heart
In a placebo-controlled study in 45 overweight adults, eating either dark chocolate or a sugar-free cocoa drink was found to improve heart blood vessel function and lower blood pressure. Interestingly, improvements in endothelial function were significantly greater with the sugar-free cocoa drink as compared to the sugar-containing cocoa drink. Blood pressure dropped with dark chocolate (systolic: -3.2 mm Hg, diastolic: -1.4) and sugar-free cocoa (systolic: -2.1 mm Hg; diastolic: -1.3 mm Hg). The authors conclude, "Further investigation is clearly warranted to determine longer term effects of habitual solid and liquid cocoa ingestion, optimal dosing of chocolate for cardiovascular benefit, variation in beneficial effects among diverse populations, and, ultimately, the influence of dietary cocoa intake on cardiac events."
References
"Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial," Faridi Z, Njike VY, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2008; 88(1): 58-63.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the most frequently quoted post viral CFS, fibromyalgia, energy, sleep and pain medical authorities in the world. He is the author of 12 books including You Can Heal from Long Covid, the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free 1-2-3, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of eight research studies and three medical textbook chapters on effective treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide, including past appearances on Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth.
Websites: Vitality101.com | EndFatigue.com
Facebook Support Group: Recovering from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and Long COVID
Facebook Page | Instagram
