Is chocolate good for the heart? Scientists answer...

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As early as the 16th century, the Aztecs (a people who lived in what is now Mexico) noted the healing properties of cocoa, including its ability to treat angina pectoris, a condition associated with poor blood supply to the heart muscle.

Since then, interest in studying the health benefits of chocolate has increased, and even scientific studies have been conducted: scientists are still conducting research to determine whether one of the most popular products on the planet is really beneficial for the cardiovascular system.

Interesting fact: The word “chocolatl” comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) language. This word means “choco” - foam and “atl” - water. That is, chocolate was originally used as a drink.

The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa. Cocoa beans and cocoa powder contain a lot of flavanols and plant polyphenols. They have been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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The amount of flavanols in chocolate depends on the amount of cocoa, that is, milk or white chocolate contains less beneficial flavanols. Therefore, experts emphasize that only chocolate with a high cocoa content (at least 70%) has beneficial properties.

One of the most famous and large-scale studies that studied the effect of cocoa on heart function is COSMOS. More than 10,000 participants took either 500 milligrams of cocoa powder flavanols or placebo capsules daily for 3.6 years. As a result, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 27% in the group taking flavanols.

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According to another study published in January 2024, dark chocolate may reduce the risk of hypertension and venous thromboembolism. According to a June 2023 analysis, regular consumption of dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels.

Despite the above data, scientists caution against jumping to conclusions: the connection between cocoa and heart health has not yet been fully studied. In addition, not all scientific studies show that chocolate has only beneficial effects. For example, the same COSMOS experiment proved that cocoa does not reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

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It should also be remembered that ready-made chocolate contains a lot of sugar, fat and calories, so you should not abuse this product.

Chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa can indeed be good for the heart, but this does not mean that this product will completely cure the disease. Doctors emphasize that the treatment and prevention of heart disease should be comprehensive and depend on many other factors. In particular, these include a balanced diet, regular physical exercise, enough sleep and less stress.

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