Does dark chocolate reduce blood pressure?

Medical Case Details:

Hello

Dark chocolates are the ones which can reduce blood pressure. Once I tried it with my father. I was a 12th class student and had recently heard about the goodness of dark chocolates. I asked my dad to buy a bar of dark chocolate from a bakery and he bought that for himself. It was really bitter in taste but he ate it for 3-4 days only and his BP was lowered from 149/90 to 125/82.

When I showed it to my family doctor, he appreciated me.

My dad takes this chocolate during morning hours only after breakfast. And now he is still normal. Whenever he finds a raise In BP, he takes a bite of chocolate, but just a bite and not the whole chocolate.

Any comments please.

Regards
Dr. Purva Jingar
BDS

Discussions

Dr. Rathee Rahul
General Medicine Physician

Hello
well a few clinical studies shows that the COCOA ( present in dark n other chocolates ) does infact reduces blodd pressure in hypertensive patients but the effect is too low to replace medications ( anti-hypertensives ) .... a study showed that a square of dark chocolate consumed daily for 5-6 months did reduced the blood pressure to a minor extent,without causing any weight gain....but the bottom line is that if a person is hypertensive thn giving only dark chocolates and no medication is not the right thing to do and one more fact , it does not reduces blood pressure in normotensive persons....
take care dear
dr rahul

28.Mar, 09:00pm

Dr. Purva Jingar
Dentist

Thank you Dr Rahul. =

28.Mar, 09:03pm

Dr. Purva Jingar
Dentist

Thank you Dr. Ramesh.

29.Mar, 08:27am

Dr. Rathee Rahul
General Medicine Physician

U r always welcome purva !!

29.Mar, 07:43pm

Dr. Akash Kumar
Family Physician

Not much studies have been done but few done have shown slight reduced blood pressure specialy in hypertensives.should not be substituted for antihypertensive medicines.

30.Mar, 04:51pm

Dr. Vadivel Kumaran. S
Medical Gastroenterologist

Medications for hypertension are not given for a momentary control of hypertension. Sustained salt restriction to 4gms/day, lifestyle modification & meds are needed to prevent endovascular damage.

02.Apr, 05:32pm

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