Cocoa for High Blood Pressure

Filed in archive Heart and Stroke on April 11, 2007

Guidelines for controlling blood pressure include eating lots of fruit and vegetables. The guidelines don't include other foods including cocoa and tea.

An article from Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs tells us:

Foods rich in compounds like polyphenols are thought have beneficial effects on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. This compound can be found in fruits and vegetables, which are both listed in the current guidelines for people with hypertension, or high blood pressure. However, the majority of total polyphenol intake in Western countries comes from tea and cocoa products, which are not listed on current dietary guidelines for reducing high blood pressure.

Another food recommended for controlling blood pressure is dark chocolate. An article in Parallel Universes states:

Eating dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, boost normal responses to insulin to keep blood sugar levels down, and improve blood vessel function in patients with high blood pressure, according to new research findings.