A study of older men in the Netherlands indicates those who ate the equivalent of one-third of a chocolate bar every day had lower blood pressure and a 50% reduced risk of death.
Researchers examined the eating habits of 470 healthy men who were not taking blood pressure medicine. Cocoa beans contain flavanols, which are thought to increase nitric oxide in the blood and improve the function of blood vessels.
The variety of chocolate consumed by the men in the study, included cocoa beverages, chocolate bars and chocolate pudding. The drawback to the consumption of chocolate is that eating too much can contribute to weight gain.