Cocoa and chocolate helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and blood circulation.

The French are known for their love of red wine, which has a positive effect on their health thanks to the cocoa flavanols it contains. This is known as the French paradox. Also ChocoNat™ chocolate is rich in cocoa flavanols moreover, the specific cocoa flavanols show even stronger benefits in the following areas: helping to keep blood pressure and blood circulation at healthy levels. This specific health benefit has been shown at least in 35 independent human studies on cocoa and chocolate.

Daily consumption of 16.4g dark chocolate or 4.5g cacao for 2 weeks helps maintain healthy blood pressure. *

* In combination with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle

Possible ChocoNat™ claims

Blood pressure

  • Helps to maintain and promote normal blood pressure
  • Helps to maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Helps to maintain blood pressure levels within the normal range
  • Helps to keep your blood pressure within the healthy range

Blood flow/circulation

  • Helps to maintain healthy blood circulation
  • Helps to maintain vascular health by decreasing oxidation of bad cholesterol
  • Helps to maintain healthy platelet activity which contributes to healthy blood circulation and healthy blood vessels

Scientific Reference

Balzer J, Rassaf T, Heiss C, Kleinbongard P, Lauer T, Merx M, Heussen N, Gross HB, Keen CL, Schroeter H, Kelm M, 2008. Sustained benefits in vascular function through flavanol-containing cocoa in medicated diabetic patients a double-masked, randomized, controlled trial. J Am Coll Cardiol, 51, 2141-2149.

Corti, R., A. Flammer, N. K. Hollenberg and T. Lüscher (2009). “Cocoa and cardiovascular health.” Circulation 119: 1433-1441.

Davison K, Coates AM, Buckley JD, Howe PR, 2008. Effect of cocoa flavanols and exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond), 32, 1289-1296.

Ding EL, Hutfless SM, Ding X, Girotra S, 2006. Chocolate and prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review. Nutr Metab (Lond), 3, 2.

Engler MB, Engler MM, Chen CY, Malloy MJ, Browne A, Chiu EY, Kwak HK, Milbury P, Paul SM, Blumberg J, Mietus-Snyder ML, 2004. Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J Am Coll Nutr, 23, 197-204.

Faridi Z, Njike VY, Dutta S, Ali A, Katz DL, 2008. Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr, 88, 58-63.

Flammer AJ, Hermann F, Sudano I, Spieker L, Hermann M, Cooper KA, Serafini M, Luscher TF, Ruschitzka F, Noll G, Corti R, 2007. Dark chocolate improves coronary vasomotion and reduces platelet reactivity. Circulation, 116, 2376-2382.

Grassi, D., G. Desideri, S. Necozione, C. Lippi, R. Casala, G. Properzi, J. Blumberg and C. Ferri (2008). “Blood pressure is reduced and insulin sensitivity increased in glucose-tolerant, hypertensive subjects after 15 days of consuming high-polyphenol dark chocolate.” J Nutr 138: 1671-1676.

Heiss C, Finis D, Kleinbongard P, Hoffmann A, Rassaf T, Kelm M, Sies H, 2007. Sustained increase in flow-mediated dilation after daily intake of high-flavanol cocoa drink over 1 week. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 49, 74-80.

Hooper L, Kroon PA, Rimm EB, Cohn JS, Harvey I, Le Cornu KA, Ryder JJ, Hall WL, Cassidy A, 2008. Flavonoids, flavonoid-rich foods, and cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr, 88, 38-50.

Innes AJ, Kennedy G, McLaren M, Bancroft AJ, Belch JJ, 2003. Dark chocolate inhibits platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Platelets, 14, 325-327.

McCullough ML, Chevaux K, Jackson L, Preston M, Martinez G, Schmitz HH, Coletti C, Campos H, Hollenberg NK, 2006. Hypertension, the Kuna, and the epidemiology of flavanols. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 47 Suppl 2, S103-109; discussion 119-121.

Schroeter H, Heiss C, Balzer J, Kleinbongard P, Keen CL, Hollenberg NK, Sies H, Kwik-Uribe C, Schmitz HH, Kelm M, 2006. (-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 103, 1024-1029.

Taubert, D., R. Roesen, C. Lehmann, N. Jung and E. Schömig (2007). “Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide.” Jama 298: 49-60.

Taubert D, Roesen R, Schomig E, 2007. Effect of cocoa and tea intake on blood pressure: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med, 167, 626-634.

Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Alexopoulos N, Economou E, Andreadou I, Stefanadis C, 2005. Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals. Am J Hypertens, 18, 785-791.

An extensive reference list can be obtained upon request.