According to the latest research performed by American scientists, tasty nibbles of dark chocolate may also improve functioning of vital endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels.
Cocoa contains a group of antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids, that can also be found in fruits and vegetables, wine and green tea. Studies indicate that eating foods rich in flavonoids may reduce the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
The research was carried out by the scientists from the Yale Prevention Research Centre in Connecticut. It involved 45 healthy participants with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35. The partakers were divided into three groups that consumed either eight ounces (225 grams) of cocoa without sugar; cocoa with sugar; or a placebo.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. A BMI between 25-29.9 is an indicator of overweight, whereas a BMI of 30 or more suggests obesity.
The participants underwent endothelial function testing within six weeks. This was performed by the use of high frequency ultrasound to measure the ability of the brachial artery (which runs from the shoulder to the elbow) to relax and enlarge in order to accommodate elevated blood flow - a test known as flow mediated dilation (FMD).
Considerable improvements noticed
The research discovered that FMD improved considerably (2.4 per cent) in the group that received cocoa with no sugar, in comparison to 1.5 per cent in the group that consumed cocoa with sugar. There was a 0.8 per cent reduction in FMD in the participants that consumed the placebo.
"In this group of healthy adult participants with BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2, dark chocolate ingestion over a brief spell was proven to improve endothelial function considerably, leading the investigators to think that greater benefit may be observed through a long-term, randomized clinical trial," co-investigator Dr Valentine Yanchou Njike said in a prepared statement.
"Whilst the findings from this research do not indicate that people ought to start consuming more chocolate as part of their daily routine, it indicates that we pay more attention to how dark chocolate and other flavonoid-rich foods might provide cardiovascular benefits," Njike explained.
The research was expected to be demonstrate on March 27th, at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans.
