Scientists from the University of Surrey and other institutions have found that cocoa may help reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness during normal aging.
Flavanols are bioactive compounds that occur naturally in many plants, including tea, apples, various berries, and cocoa beans.
Cocoa flavanols include specific compounds such as epicatechin and catechin, as well as longer chains of flavanols known as procyanidins.
Previous research has shown that cocoa powder can improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Cocoa powder is also rich in theobromine, a compound that helps reduce inflammation and may protect against diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Earlier clinical studies have reported that cocoa flavanols can lower blood pressure and reduce arterial stiffness in healthy people. However, the results across studies have been inconsistent, leaving uncertainty about how effective cocoa is in everyday life.
In the new study, the research team examined the health effects of cocoa flavanol intake under real-world conditions.
The study involved 11 healthy adults with normal blood pressure. Each participant consumed cocoa flavanol capsules and matched placebo capsules on separate days. On each test day, the capsules were taken at the same time in the morning with breakfast.
Participants were provided with an upper-arm blood pressure monitor and a finger-clip device to measure pulse wave velocity, an indicator of arterial stiffness. Blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse wave velocity were measured at least once every hour over a 12-hour period during the day.
The results showed that cocoa flavanols reduced blood pressure and arterial stiffness when these measures were elevated within the normal range. The findings suggest that cocoa can have measurable cardiovascular benefits in everyday life, not just under tightly controlled laboratory conditions.
However, the researchers also observed large differences in how individuals responded to cocoa intake. This variation highlights the potential need for more personalized nutritional approaches rather than one-size-fits-all recommendations.
The study was published in Frontiers in Nutrition and was conducted by Mariam Bapir and colleagues.
