A Chocolate Bar a Day Keeps The Doctor Away?

Ah chocolate – is there anything it can’t do? It tastes amazing, it makes us feel great after a tough day and girls, you know there’s nothing better than a slab of the brown stuff during THAT time of the month.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, look no further as some new research has revealed that eating a bit of dark chocolate on a daily basis can actually lower your blood pressure and keep your body healthy.

The Irish Independent reports that eating a small bit of dark chocolate every single day could actually protect you from heart disease in later life.

Researchers from the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, analysed data from tests where a group of volunteers ate daily helpings of dark chocolate over eight weeks. The dark chocolate that was highest in flavanols (special plant compounds) reduced blood pressure by an average of two to three millimetres of mercury.

Chocolate every day? We could definitely stick to that diet!

“Although we don’t yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Dr Karen Ried, who led the research.

However, Dr Ried added that longer trials would be needed before any firm conclusions could be made.

So ladies, the next time you have a chocolate craving, reach for a bar of the dark variety and enjoy some guilt-free indulgence.