Here's some sweet news. Eating chocolate every day may help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease. German researchers who followed more than 19,000 people between the ages of 35 and 65 for approximately 10 years discovered that those who ate an average of 7.5 grams a day - a little more that two chocolate kisses - had lower blood pressure levels that those who ate less chocolate. They were also 39% less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.

 

Skip the milk chocolate, though. It's the dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70% that does the best job of protecting your heart. Why? Cocoa contains flavonols, a substance that may improve blood flow - and better blood flow can lower blood pressure.

 

For all its benefits, eating dark chocolate will still add calories to your diet - about 55 calories for each 7.5 grams. Overindulging can affect both your waistline and your health. To help you get your daily dose of chocolate without tipping the scales, below is a list of foods that contain about the same amount of calories. By swapping out one food or snack for a delicious bite of dark chocolate, you can indulge guilt-free. You'll not only do your heart good, but your waistline, too.

 

Eat Chocolate instead of...

- 1/4 cup of ice cream

- 1/2 cup of apple juice

- 1 egg yolk

- 1 light beer

- 1 tablespoon of cream cheese

- 1 tablespoon of jam

- 1 tablespoon of sugar

- 2 cups of microwave popcorn

- 8 small pretzel twists 

- 10 cheese crackers

 

What's News - By Stephanie Guzowski

From - Heart Care Health Monitor Summer 2010

visit www.healthmonitor.com for more articles.