A small clinical study conducted by a research group in US has found that eating dark chocolate improves the function of blood vessel.
"In this sample of healthy adults, dark chocolate ingestion over a short period of time was shown to significantly improve (blood vessel) function," said Dr. Valentine Yanchou Njike of Yale Prevention Research Center, a co-investigator of the study.
45 people who participated in the six week trail were given 8 ounces(227 grams) of cocoa without sugar, cocoa with sugar or a placebo each day. After daily consumption of cocoa or placebo a high frequency ultrasound equipment was used to measure flow mediated dilation(FMD), an artery's ability to relax and expand to accommodate increased blood flow present in the upper arm.
Of the 39 subjects who completed the trial, FMD improved significantly in both cocoa groups -- by 2.4 percent among those who had it without sugar and 1.5 percent among those who had it with sugar. It dropped 0.8 percent in the placebo group. This new finding has added to the mounting evidence of benefits of eating dark chocolates.
This clinical study does not advise people to eat more dark chocolate but calls for more extensive study before arriving in to any concrete conclusion.
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