High Blood pressure is a worldwide epidemic affecting millions of people around the globe. It is estimated that within the next 20 years, there will be over 1.5 billion people affected by high blood pressure.

Two key reasons for the explosion of high blood pressure epidemic are sedentary lifestyle, and a diet rich in high sodium, and processed foods. While diet is a contributing factor for high blood pressure, there are foods that can actually help lower blood pressure, and one of these miraculous food is no other than dark chocolate.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a group of volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One group ate about a quarter ounce of dark chocolate daily for five months, while the other group was given white chocolate. The group who ate dark chocolate had lower blood pressure readings than those who ate white chocolate.

What makes dark chocolate such a beneficial food for lowering blood pressure?

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, a group of chemical compounds found in plants that have antioxidant properties. Flavonoids have been shown to promote several beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system; including, flushing out the accumulation of cholesterol in blood vessels, preventing the clustering of blood platelets which contributes to the risk of blood clots that produce stroke, and heart attack, decreasing the body’s inflammation in the body, and relaxing the blood vessels.

When you’re choosing dark chocolate, look for chocolate that has at least 70 percent pure cocoa content. Very dark chocolate is not as sweet as milk chocolate, and it may be somewhat bitter. You may have to try different ones until you find one that you like. However, dark chocolate is becoming very popular, and nowadays, it’s easy to find a variety of good quality dark chocolate with cocoa content as high as 85%.

Portion control is the key to getting the health benefits of dark chocolate without consuming too many calories because dark chocolate is high in fat and calories. Just remember that all you need is a very little piece of it, about a quarter of an ounce, to enjoy its blood pressure lowering benefit.

If you’re looking for ways to lower your blood pressure naturally, dark chocolate can do the trick. For now, all the studies show that there’s little doubt that dark chocolate consumed in moderation, and in conjunction with a healthy diet, and exercise is one of the ways to lower blood pressure, and improve your overall cardiovascular health.

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