Chocolate good for the heart
2005-12-21 13:34
Geneva - A strip or two of dark or bitter chocolate may not only bring a touch of seasonal cheer but can also help smokers avoid heart disease, according to Swiss research published on Tuesday.
Researchers at Zurich's University Hospital found after tests with 20 smokers that dark chocolate with a relatively high cocoa content (75%) improved their blood circulation "significantly", the study in the British medical journal Heart' said.
The effects were said to have lasted up to eight hours and also resulted in an increase in beneficial antioxydants, while substances that can produce harmful blood clots declined.
Smokers are regarded as being at greater risk of hardening of the arteries and cardiovascular problems.
Similar tests with white chocolate - which has a low cocoa content - were without effect, according to the researchers, who said more studies were needed.
The tests were carried out with 40g of bitter chocolate.
Research published by the American Heart Association earlier this year said a daily bar-sized helping of dark chocolate could lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance.