Giving chocolate on this Valentine’s Day can help keep love alive - and the lovers, as well. The evidence is growing that dark chocolate, in moderate amounts, conveys several health benefits, and the latest good news is that regular intake appears to lower blood pressure.
Between January 2005 and December 2006, 44 hypertensive German volunteers, ages 55 to 75 and in otherwise good health, took part in an 18-week study. About half were randomly assigned to eat 6.3 grams daily of dark chocolate; the other half ate a 5.6 gram portion of white chocolate. By the end of the test period, the participants eating dark chocolate had statistically significant reductions in blood pressure (systolic pressure declined by a mean of 2.4 mm Hg, diastolic by 1.3 mm Hg). In the white chocolate group, blood pressure remained unchanged. Researchers speculated that the difference was due to the 30 mg of polyphenols in each dark chocolate “dose”; the white chocolate was polyphenol-free.
The lesson here is not to gorge on dark chocolate: 6.3 grams is less than one-quarter of an ounce, and eating more of this calorie-dense food could lead to unwanted weight gain. But a little dark chocolate daily does indeed appear to be a healthful treat.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/WBL02075/Chocolate-for-Your-Valentine.html