Eating dark chocolate in moderation has been found to lower blood pressure, but chocoholics, don’t get carried away! A new study from Germany finds that the amount of chocolate required is no excuse to overindulge. Participants in the research consumed about 6 grams of dark chocolate daily, approximately equal to 1-1/2 Hershey Kisses. The test subjects were healthy, normal weight adults, aged 56 to 73, who showed mild hypertension (high blood pressure) at the start of the study. Those who ate the dark chocolate during almost 5 months of testing  showed a small but still significant reduction in blood pressure compared to those who consumed white chocolate.

Eating larger amounts of chocolate candy is not recommended, because the fats and sugars involved are unhealthy additions to the diet. Large quantities of chocolate candy would cause a weight gain, canceling out the effects of the chocolate-induced blood pressure drop.

The beneficial effects of the chocolate are derived from flavanols, compounds present in cocoa that are similar to antioxidant chemicals in red wine, which also provide cardiovascular benefits. Since dark chocolate contains more cocoa with less fat and sugar, it delivers the most bang for the dietary buck. (Note: white chocolate contains no cocoa at all, while milk chocolate contains considerably less cocoa and more fat and sugar than dark chocolate.) Other good dietary sources of related beneficial compounds include fresh fruits (especially citrus fruits and berries) and green vegetables, the darker the better.

SOURCE: CBS/AP