Dark Chocolate Improves Blood Circulation in Study

Now, this is the kind of research I like :). The antioxidants in dark chocolate improves the blood circulation in the body, according to research from Italy. In a small study it showed that those who had problems with blood circulation in the legs could walk longer after eating dark chocolate.

The researchers think that this is because dark chocolate contains antioxidants called polyphenols. They believe that the polyphenols improves the blood flow to the legs and the arteries are widened.

In the study they let the patients walk on a treadmill, without eating chocolate and after eating chocolate. Chocolate containing more than 85 percent cocoa made the patients walk 11 percent further than normal.

Regular milk chocolate did not have the same effect, so for it to be effective it needs to be dark chocolate. In the study they ate 40 grams of chocolate per person.

Milk chocolate with less than 30 percent cocoa contained less polyphenols, and there was no positive effect from consuming it.

The researchers found that the levels of nitric oxide in the blood increased after eating chocolate. Nitric oxide is assumed to widen the arteries.

Not only dark chocolate contains polyphenols, you can also find it in peppermint, capers and hazelnuts.

Source:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/07/02/could-dark-chocolate-help-ease-poor-leg-circulation