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Dark Chocolate May Reduce Blood Pressure and Improve Endothelial Function

BLOOD PRESSURE, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION, OVERWEIGHT - Dark Chocolate, Cocoa
"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. (Address: DL Katz, Prevention Research Center, Griffin Hospital, 2nd Floor, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418, USA. E-mail: katzdl@pol.net and shelli.larovera@yalegriffinprc .org ).
In a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind, crossover trial involving 45 overweight adults (mean BMI in kg/m(2): 30; mean age: 53 years), consumption of either dark chocolate or a sugar-free cocoa drink was found to improve endothelial function and reduce blood pressure. In the first phase of the study, subjects received either a solid dark chocolate bar containing 22 g cocoa powder, or a placebo bar, and in the second phase, subjects received sugar-free cocoa liquid containing 22 g cocoa powder, or sugar-containing cocoa liquid containing 22 g cocoa powder, or a placebo drink. Results found improvements in endothelial function with consumption of solid dark chocolate (4.3), liquid sugar-free cocoa (5.7), and liquid sugar-containing cocoa (2.0), as compared with placebo (-1.5). Interestingly, improvements in endothelial function were significantly greater with the sugar-free cocoa drink as compared to the s ugar-containing cocoa drink. Improvements in blood pressure were associated with consumption of dark chocolate (systolic: -3.2 mm Hg, diastolic: -1.4) and sugar-free cocoa (systolic: -2.1 mm Hg; diastolic: -1.3 mm Hg). These results suggest that consumption of either solid dark chocolate or liquid cocoa may improve endothelial function and reduce blood pressure in overweight adults, with differences in effects found between sugar-free and sugar-containing preparations. 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."