Chocolate Consumption in Relation to Blood Pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in German Adults

Chocolate Consumption in Relation to Blood Pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in German Adults

NIH.GOV

To investigate the association of chocolate consumption with measured blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), dietary intake, including chocolate, and BP were assessed at baseline (1994-98) in 19,357 participants (aged 35-65 years) free of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke and not using antihypertensive medication of the Potsdam arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. The conclusion: Chocolate consumption appears to lower CVD risk, in part through reducing BP. The inverse association may be stronger for stroke than for MI. Further research is needed, in particular randomized trials.