A new study conducted by the European Heart Journal may debunk the belief that all sweets are damaging to ones’ health. Bloomberg reports on the results of this study that tracked 20,000 people with no pre-existing symptoms of heart disease for a period of ten years.
The participants were categorized into four groups by the amount of chocolate they consumed, the highest amount being 7.5 grams.
The results showed that those who ate a small 6 gram piece of dark chocolate each day reduced their risk of heart disease and stroke by one-third. Lead researcher Brian Buijsse attributes the flavanols in dark chocolate with reducing the risk of clotting by relaxing the muscle cells in blood vessels.
“The substances in cocoa, flavanols, are making the blood vessels more elastic and less stiff,” Buijsse says.
Buijsse warns against consuming excessive amounts of chocolate each day. Dark chocolate, in moderation, is linked to lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and low blood pressure. Healthy lifestyle choices that reduce the risk of serious health conditions result in lower health insurance premiums and less expensive medical costs.
