FRC consumption significantly improves blood pressure , insulin resistance , lipid profiles , and FMD .
A growing body of evidence suggests that the consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic compounds , particularly cocoa , may have cardioprotective effects .
No review , however , has yet examined the effect of flavonoid-rich cocoa ( FRC ) on all major cardiovascular risk factors or has examined potential dose-response relationships for these effects .
Dark chocolate or tomato extract for prehypertension: a randomised controlled trial
Background Flavanol-rich chocolate and lycopene-rich tomato extract have attracted interest as potential alternative treatment options for hypertension , a known risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality . Treatment of prehypertension ( SBP 120–139/DBP 80–89 mmHg ) may forestall progression to hypertension . However , there has been only limited research into non-pharmacological treatment options for prehypertension . We investigated the effect of dark chocolate or tomato extract on blood pressure , and their acceptability as an ongoing treatment option in a prehypertensive population . Methods Our trial consisted of two phases : a r and omised controlled three-group-parallel trial over 12 weeks ( phase 1 ) followed by a crossover of the two active treatment arms over an additional 12-week period ( phase 2 ) . Group 1 received a 50 g daily dose of dark chocolate with 70 % cocoa containing 750 mg polyphenols , group 2 were allocated one tomato extract capsule containing 15 mg lycopene per day , and group 3 received one placebo capsule daily over 8 weeks followed by a 4-week washout period . In phase 2 the active treatment groups were crossed over to receive the alternative treatment . Median blood pressure , weight , and abdominal circumference were measured 4-weekly , and other characteristics including physical activity , general health , energy , mood , and acceptability of treatment were assessed by question naire at 0 , 8 and 20 weeks . We analysed changes over time using a linear mixed model , and one time point differences using Kruskal-Wallis , Fisher's-Exact , or t-tests . Results Thirty-six prehypertensive healthy adult volunteers completed the 6-month trial . Blood pressure changes over time within groups and between groups were not significant and independent of treatment . Weight and other characteristics did not change significantly during the trial . However , a marked difference in acceptability between the two treatment forms ( chocolate or capsule ) was revealed ( p < 0.0001 ) . Half of the participants allocated to the chocolate treatment found it hard to eat 50 g of dark chocolate every day and 20 % considered it an unacceptable long-term treatment option , whereas all participants found it easy and acceptable to take a capsule each day for blood pressure . Conclusion Our study did not find a blood pressure lowering effect of dark chocolate or tomato extract in a prehypertensive population . Practicability of chocolate as a long-term treatment option may be limited . Trial registration http://www.anzctr.org.au Identifier :
FRC consumption significantly improves blood pressure , insulin resistance , lipid profiles , and FMD .
A growing body of evidence suggests that the consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic compounds , particularly cocoa , may have cardioprotective effects .
No review , however , has yet examined the effect of flavonoid-rich cocoa ( FRC ) on all major cardiovascular risk factors or has examined potential dose-response relationships for these effects .