May Reduce High Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder both include ingredients that may help decrease blood pressure. The first population to see this effect was the cocoa-drinking islanders of Central America, whose blood pressure was much lower than that of their non-cocaa-drinking mainland counterparts. Nitric oxide levels in the blood are hypothesized to be increased by the flavanols in cocoa, which can improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure.

In 35 investigations, patients received between 0.05 and 3.7 ounces (1.4 and 105 grams) of cocoa products, or between 30 and 1,218 mg of flavanols, according to one study. It was discovered that cocoa caused a 2 mmHg drop in blood pressure, which was modest yet substantial. Additionally, the impact was stronger in older individuals compared to younger individuals and in those who already had high blood pressure than in those who did not. However, it's crucial to keep in mind that processing greatly decreases the number of flavanols, so the effects are probably not going to be seen in the typical chocolate bar.