Here's even more evidence that chocolate could be good for the heart.
A new review of research, published in the Cochrane Library, suggests that consuming dark chocolate or cocoa powder every day is linked with slightly lowered blood pressure.
"Although we don't yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease," study researcher Karin Ried, of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Australia, said in a statement.
The researchers conducted their meta-analysis of20 different trials that included 856 people. Trials lasted for different lengths, from two weeks to eight weeks to even 18 weeks, and included eating anywhere from 30 to 1,080 milligrams of flavanols (what is found in anywhere from 3 to 100 grams of chocolate) every day.
The researchers found that consuming flavanol-containing chocolate or cocoa powder was linked with, on average, a decreased blood pressure of 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
Flavanols are a kind of antioxidant compound -- also found in foods like chocolate, cranberries, tea and red wine -- that are largely responsible for chocolate's heart benefits, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The researchers found that in trials comparing consumption of flavanol-containing chocolate or cocoa powder compared with foods that had no flavanol at all, the blood pressure-lowering effect was even greater, dropping by an average of 3 to 4 mm Hg.
However, they didn't observe any big drops in blood pressure in trials comparing consumption of high flavanol-containing cocoa powder or chocolate with low flavanol-containing cocoa powder or chocolate, which they said might be because even low-flavanol foods could still provide some sort of blood pressure benefit.
Earlier this year, a study in the British Medical Journal showed that dark chocolate consumption is linked with a decreased risk of heart attack and stroke in some people at risk for the conditions, Reuters reported. The study included more than 2,000 people with metabolic syndrome who ate dark chocolate every day for a decade.
One note before you pig out: Not all chocolate products are alike -- some are loaded with fat and calories, and the health benefits described in studies are limited mainly to dark chocolate and cocoa powder. So enjoy responsibly!
20 Years Of Free Journalism
Your Support Fuels Our Mission
Your Support Fuels Our Mission
For two decades, HuffPost has been fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
20 Years Of Free Journalism
For two decades, HuffPost has been fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
For more health benefits of chocolate, click through the slideshow:
Chocolate Decreases Stroke Risk
Alamy
A 2011 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week had a
20 percent lower risk of stroke than women who treated themselves to fewer than 9 grams of the sweet stuff.
Chocolate Boosts Heart Health
Flickr:Chocolate Reviews
Chocolate Fills You Up
Flickr:Vegan Feast Catering
Because it's rich in fiber, dark chocolate can actually help keep you full, so you'll eat less, Dr. David Katz, founding director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and HuffPost blogger
told The Huffington Post. Regular chocolate eaters might do themselves a favor by treating themselves to a bite instead of snacking on "11 other things first" he said.Dark chocolate does the trick much better than milk, according to a small study from the University of Copenhagen, and
may even reduce cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.
Flickr photo by Vegan Feast CateringChocolate May Fight Diabetes
Flickr:The Integer Club
Chocolate Protects Your Skin
Alamy
Forget what you've heard about chocolate causing breakouts: Dark chocolate is actually good for your skin. The type of antioxidants called flavonoids found in dark chocolate offer some
protection from UV damage from the sun. And no, that does not mean you can skip the sunscreen!
Chocolate Can Quiet Coughs
Flickr:ryancboren
Chocolate Boosts Your Mood
Flickr:stevendepolo
Chocolate Improves Blood Flow
Flickr:David Berkowitz
Chocolate Improves Vision
Flickr:Robert Couse-Baker
Because of chocolate's ability to improve blood flow, in particular to the brain, researchers at the University of Reading hypothesized in a small 2011 study that chocolate may also
increase blood flow to the retina, thereby giving vision a boost.
Flickr photo by Robert Couse-BakerChocolate May Make You Smarter
Alamy
That boost of blood flow to the brain created by cocoa's flavanols seems to make people feel more awake and alert, and, in a small British study,
perform better on counting tasks.