Consumption of dark chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease.
There is a growing body of research that supports the heart-healthy benefits of flavonoids, compounds found in unsweetened chocolate. A 2019 Harvard study found that dark chocolate, the kind that contains at least 50 to 70 percent cacao (the solids of the cocoa bean) lowered blood pressure in all 1,000 participants. It also found some evidence that dark chocolate causes a significant increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. Flavonoids (which cause dilation of the blood vessels) are abundant in cacao, so chocolate with a higher proportion—like unsweetened or dark chocolate—will contain more flavonoids. Happy Valentine’s Day!