NUTHETAL, Germany—Evidence supporting the health benefits of chocolate just keeps rolling in. According to research conducted at the German Institute of Human Nutrition, Nuthetal, people who eat more chocolate had a lower risk of high blood pressure and heart attack.
The German researchers studied 19,300+ people over a period of a decade and discovered that those who ate the most chocolate (average of 7.5 grams per day) had lower blood pressure and a 39% lower risk of heart attack or stroke than those who ate the least amount of chocolate (average of 1.7 grams per day).
The researchers suggested that the flavanol content in cocoa is responsible for the observed health benefits. Dark chocolate has a higher level of flavanols, so it very well might produce a greater effect.
Although the study showed that larger quantities of chocolate had greater observed health benefits, the researchers warned consumers that simply adding chocolate to the diet, without any other changes, is not advised. The chocolate should replace existing energy-dense foods in order to not unduly overload the body with additional calories.