DARK chocolate may help reduce blood pressure and boost the body's ability to metabolize sugar from food, according to a study. Investigators from the University of L'Aquila in Italy found that after eating only 100gms of dark chocolate every day for 15 days, 15 healthy people had lower blood pressure and were more sensitive to insulin.
Dr Claudio Ferri and co-investigators explained that flavonoids help the body by neutralizing potentially cell-damaging substances known as oxygen-free radicals, which are a normal byproduct of metabolism. Despite dark chocolate's apparent benefits, Ferri urges caution when interpreting the results. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, but also a lot of fat and calories, Ferri said, and people who want to add some chocolate to their diet need to subtract an equivalent amount of calories by cutting back on other foods, to avoid weight gain.
