True or False?: Eating chocolate is good for the heart?

A recent publication by the European Heart Journal concluded:
Flavanol-rich chocolate (FRC) acutely improves vascular function in patients with CHF (Congestive Heart Failure). A sustained effect was seen after daily consumption over a 4-week period, even after 12 h abstinence. These beneficial effects were paralleled by an inhibition of platelet function in the presence of FRC only.
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/33/17/2172.full.pdf+html?sid=f7a48a00-22a3-43de-a7d9-006d9d1c3a02

Cocoa consumption exerts several beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Epidemiologically, its consumption is inversely correlated with blood pressure (BP) and all-cause mortality, which has been recently confirmed in a large population-based study i.e. eating cocoa would lower blood pressure and therefore it would also lower the risk of death related to high blood pressure.

Good news for Hersey and Milo. However, most commercially available chocolates contain too much sugar and as a precaution, chocolate consumption with low sugar content or without sugar would be better.


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