A new home remedy for lowering blood pressure may be to eat cocoadaily! Harvard professorNorman Hollenberg has found evidence that cocoa rich in flavanols, antioxidantcompounds found in cocoa beans, improves blood flow which may help peoplefighting a range of diseases, including hypertension. (Cromie)

His discovery began as a study into the genetics of a small,isolated Caribbean Indian tribe in which hypertension was virtuallynonexistent. He quickly found that their resistance was not genetic, as tribemembers who had integrated themselves into other societies no longer had thesame resistance to high blood pressure. Hollenberg decided to study thelifestyle of the Kuna tribe, ?The most outstanding finding was the fact thatmost them consume cocoa as their major drink and do so every day,"according to Hollenberg, "Many Kuna, in that hot and humid climate,probably drink more than five cups per day." (Cromie)

Research into Kuna cocoa reveled that it is much higher inflavanols than other more processed cocoas. Hollenberg believes that flavanolsactivate the positive production of nitric oxide in the body which, as part ofthe body's regulatory system, improves the flow of blood and oxygen to majororgans including the heart. Flavanols are also found in red wine and may play arole in the beverage's ability to lower the risk of heart disease. (Cromie)

A study published in the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation investigated the effects consuming a small amount of commerciallyavailable dark chocolate, which contained flavanols, on blood pressure.  For 18 weeks 22 people who had either normalblood pressure or were pre-hypertensive, ate dark chocolate with flavanols and22 similar individuals ate white chocolate without flavanols. The portions wereonly about 6 grams daily. At the end of the period, those who ate the darkchocolate showed a 2.9 mmHg drop for the systolic or top number and 1.9 mmHgfor the diastolic. There were no negative effects on weight or cholesterol, andthose who ate the white chocolate showed no change in their blood pressure. Cocoaflavanols were actually found in the bloodstream of those who ate the darkchocolate. (American Heart Association)

According to authors of the study, ?adoption of smallamounts of flavanol-rich cocoa into the habitual diet is a dietary modificationthat is easy to adhere to and may be a promising behavioral approach to lowerblood pressure in individuals with above-optimal blood pressure.?(American Heart Association)

Sources:                                                                           

Cromie, William J. ?Cocoa shows promise as next wonderdrug?. February 22, 2007. Harvard University Gazette. Retrieved September 11,2008 from http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2007/02.22/01-cocoa.html.

?Effects of LowHabitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide?.  July 4, 2007. American Heart Association.Retrieved September 15, 2008 from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3050004.