Add a little Dark Chocolate to your Daily Dose of Fruits and Vegetables

According to this article, a bit of dark chocolate is healthy, so I guess this could mean those fresh strawberries that I like can be dipped in dark chocolate now and I can be contributing towards keeping my blood pressure low. You want to make sure though it is dark chocolate, even though there are some forms of other chocolate products that have been stated to be beneficial as well. The related reading below has some additional hints and opinions on the subject. BD

While research has shown that dark chocolate can help to lower blood pressure, those studies required eating a large amount of chocolate to achieve the benefits. So the calories will really add up if you use this sweet as a health aid. Don't worry. We've got another dietary suggestion that will do the trick, and you can toss in small daily doses of dark chocolate for long-lasting benefits. How does dark chocolate work its magic? The cocoa in dark chocolate contains plant chemicals known as polyphenols, which seem to relax blood vessels.

What's our take-home message? Combine your fruits and veggies with a nugget of good-quality dark chocolate. Watch your sodium intake, add regular exercise, toss in some weight loss, and you're on your way to normal blood pressure.

The dark truth of healthful chocolate