{"id":8030,"date":"2020-02-24T12:00:19","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T17:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=8030"},"modified":"2020-05-04T13:23:03","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T17:23:03","slug":"chocolate-totally-loves-you-back-heres-why-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=8030","title":{"rendered":"Chocolate For Your Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever <\/span><\/span>wondered if\u00a0<\/span><\/span>your love affair with chocolate is a one-sided relationship,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0don\u2019t worry.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span>he latest\u00a0<\/span><\/span>nutritional\u00a0<\/span><\/span>research has some\u00a0<\/span><\/span>very\u00a0<\/span><\/span>good news. Because February is \u201cHeart Month\u201d as well as the month for Valentines Day, we will give you all the reasons why this delicious food is so good for you!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For Lower B<\/b>lood\u00a0<\/b>P<\/b>ressure<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chocolate<\/p>\n

We mentioned in a previous post how cocoa consumption encourages the growth of blood vessels into your muscles. It turns out that cocoa also increases blood supply to your heart muscle as well. Add onto this the data showing increases of good cholesterol along with reductions of bad cholesterol,\u00a0and finally improvement of the health of your arteries themselves.\u00a0The overall outcome of all these results is lower blood pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Four\u00a0meta-analyses\u00a0of\u00a0randomized\u00a0control\u00a0trials\u00a0found\u00a0that ingesting\u00a0cocoa epicatechins\u00a0(about 50\u00a0grams\u00a0of 70%\u00a0cocoa chocolate daily)\u00a0reduces\u00a0blood\u00a0pressure<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0approximately\u00a04.6\u00a0points\u00a0systolic\u00a0and\u00a02.1\u00a0points\u00a0for\u00a0diastolic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Does Chocolate Help?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Outline<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is likely because consistent cocoa consumption increases the flexibility of your blood vessels. It makes them more elastic, so they can stretch (and not break) in response to high blood pressure spikes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>he more consistently it is consumed, the greater the effect.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>After\u00a0<\/span>3<\/span>\u00a0days, the arterial elasticity\u00a0<\/span>was <\/span>improved <\/span>by <\/span>approximately <\/span>40%. By\u00a0<\/span>day<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>5<\/span>, it was up to\u00a0<\/span>65%. A<\/span>fter<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>1<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>week,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>improved\u00a0by\u00a070%<\/a>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>his kind of high cocoa infusion is reversible<\/span>, however<\/span>. W<\/span>hen<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>withdrawn<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>week,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>artery <\/span>stretchiness starting\u00a0<\/span>return<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>back\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>baseline.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bottom Line\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From your heart to your head, from your muscles to your metabolism,\u00a0your love of\u00a0chocolate\u00a0is\u00a0totally\u00a0returned.\u00a0Across the board, there are two ways to nurture this mutually beneficial relationship: choose high cocoa chocolates, and consistently have a little every day. Win-win!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever wondered if\u00a0your love affair with chocolate is a one-sided relationship,\u00a0don\u2019t worry.\u00a0The latest\u00a0nutritional\u00a0research has some\u00a0very\u00a0good news. Because February is \u201cHeart Month\u201d as well as the month for Valentines … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8031,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[494,529],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-cocoa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Chocolate-with-Heart-and-Stethescope.jpg?fit=2121%2C1414&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Qv5g-25w","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1891,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1891","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":0},"title":"AskWill: This Valentines Day learn the difference between chocolate and “chocolate”","author":"Will Clower","date":"February 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Will,\u00a0With Valentine\u2019s Day coming up I\u2019m a bit confused. Normally I\u2019d just get chocolates for my wife, knowing that they\u2019re a decadent, not-so-good-for-you treat.\u00a0But lately I\u2019ve heard that there\u2019s good chocolate and bad chocolate. \u00a0Now I feel like I could actually making wrong choice!Dear Confused, As the bearer of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/valentines-day-chocolates2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2616,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2616","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":1},"title":"Chocolate Eating Lessons","author":"Will Clower","date":"February 5, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Eat the dark chocolate:As popular as milk chocolate is, it\u2019s the dark chocolate that\u2019s healthful.What gives chocolate its trove of amazing health properties is the cocoa itself. And, if you had to guess ... how many GRAINS of cocoa do you suppose there to be in standard chocolate confections, Kit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1950,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1950","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":2},"title":"Chocolate and “fat bloom” … it’s not what you think","author":"Will Clower","date":"April 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"When you hear these two things together -- \"chocolate\" and \"fat bloom\" -- you're thinking ... oh I see, I eat chocolate and then my fat blooms.Actually, fat bloom is like sugar bloom in your chocolate. All it means is that either the fat or the sugar\u00a0crystallizes together and forms\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/ChocolateStrawberry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1874,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1874","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":3},"title":"Chocolate Countdown, Number 1 Reason To Eat Chocolate That You Never Saw Coming","author":"Will Clower","date":"June 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Weight loss. Yes you do have to eat the right kind of chocolate, and no you can't over-consume it with a plunger.\u00a0But if you can manage those two issues (quantity and quality) then this is definitely the number 1 reason to eat chocolate, that you never saw coming!Follow @willclowerIf done\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/EatChocolateLoseWeight-180.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2213,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2213","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":4},"title":"Chocolate Is a Health Food For Your Brain. Here’s why.","author":"Will Clower","date":"December 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Great article by Kristen Coveleskie on Chocolate ... and the ways that this wonderful food (isn't it its own food group??) acts like a drug that is actually very, very good for your brain!!(please share this with anyone who loves chocolate ... yeah right!)\u00a0\u00a0While thinking of things to put in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_HAl9r2q_-j0\/TQWFAPjL9QI\/AAAAAAAAC08\/hmJo9cmDBQs\/s320\/ChocolateStrawberry.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2617,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2617","url_meta":{"origin":8030,"position":5},"title":"Chocolate Eating Lessons","author":"Will Clower","date":"February 4, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"With an estimated 1.1 billion pounds of chocolate to be sold and consumed this Valentine\u2019s Day, I know I'll make chocolate lovers happy to know that chocolate can actually be a virtue, not a vice.If you find the right kind of chocolate, and consume it using healthful eating behaviors, what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8030"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8213,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8030\/revisions\/8213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}