Eating chocolate—in moderation, of course—is associated with a reduced risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), according to new findings published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
“In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels,” lead author Chayakrit Krittanawong, MD, a cardiologist at the Baylor College of Medicine, said in a statement. “I wanted to see if it affects the blood vessels supplying the heart or not. And if it does, is it beneficial or harmful?”
Krittanawong and colleagues explored data from six different studies, good for a grand total of more than 336,000 patients. Eating chocolate more than once a week was specifically connected to an 8% decrease in a person’s risk of CAD. In particular, it appears that chocolate works wonders for the health of coronary arteries.
“Chocolate contains heart healthy nutrients such as flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols and stearic acid which may reduce inflammation and increase good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol),” Krittanawong said in the same statement.
He did add, however, that moderation is still critical. Eating too much chocolate can still cause issues, especially for individuals with diabetes or those struggling with obesity.
The full analysis from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology is available here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.