People with type 2 diabetes and hypertension who were given one ounce (25 grams) of dark chocolate per day had a 6 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure (dropping from 137 to 131 mm Hg), a 6 mm Hg drop in diastolic blood pressure (dropping from 85 to 79 mm Hg), and an 8 mg/dl drop in fasting blood sugar (dropping from 138 to 130 mg/dl) over two months compared to people who given the same amount of white chocolate according to a study from the Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran.

Men consuming 1-3 servings of chocolate per month were 7% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

Men consuming 1 serving of chocolate per week were 14% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

Men consuming 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 17% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

The effect was much stronger in normal-weight men (BMI less than 25), and in men younger than 65.

In men younger than 65, those who consume 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 27% less likely to get diabetes compared to those who never ate chocolate.

In normal-weight men (BMI less than 25), those who consume 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 41% less likely to get diabetes compared to those who never ate chocolate.

People consuming the most chocolate were 13% less likely to have a cerebral infarction (stroke), and 17% less likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke, according to data from six prospective studies.

People consuming the most chocolate were 10% less likely to have coronary heart disease, and 14% less likely to have a heart attack, according to data from six prospective studies.

The one-fourth of people with the highest intake of chocolate were 17% less likely to have a stroke over the next 10 years compared to the one-fourth of people who ate the least according to a study from Sweden.

A meta-analysis of 5 studies found similar results, that people consuming the most chocolate were 19% less likely to have a stroke (of any type) compared to people eating the least, the paper notes.

People who ate chocolate more than once a week were 48% less likely to get type 2 diabetes over the next 5 years compared to people who never ate chocolate according to a new study.

This was after adjusting for cardiovascular, lifestyle and dietary factors including other polyphenol-rich beverages.

“Compounds in cocoa and chocolate have established cardiovascular benefits, including beneficial effects on insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus,”  the paper notes.

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa were 47% less likely to die over the next 15 years compared to the one-third of men who consumed the least cocoa according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa were 50% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart attack or stroke) over the next 15 years compared to the one-third of men who consumed the least cocoa according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

People who had a heart attack who ate chocolate twice or more per week were 66% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate according to the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program.

People who ate chocolate up to once a week were 44% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate.

People who ate chocolate less than once a month were 27% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate.

“Chocolate consumption had a strong inverse association with cardiac mortality,” the authors of the study concluded.

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa had an average systolic blood pressure that was 3.7 mmHg lower and an average diastolic blood pressure that was 2.1 mmHg lower than the one-third of men consuming the least cocoa (none) according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

Higher compared to lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 45% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease according to a meta-analysis of three (3) studies.

Higher compared to lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 29% lower risk of coronary heart disease according to a meta-analysis of five (5) studies.

Higher compared to lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 25% lower risk of heart attack and stroke according to a meta-analysis of two (2) studies.

Higher compared to lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 21% lower risk of stroke according to a meta-analysis of five (5) studies.

A number of studies have found that chocolate consumption appears to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The risk of coronary heart disease was 12% lower in the one-fifth of people consuming the most chocolate—0.5 ounces to 3.5 ounces (16-99 grams) per day—compared to people consuming no chocolate over an average follow-up of 11-years according to a recent analysis from researchers in the U.K.

The researchers looked at another five (5) studies and found similar results, that higher versus lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 29% lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Three (3) studies found a 45% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (which includes both heart attack and stroke) among those who consumed the most chocolate versus the least.

A number of studies have found that chocolate consumption appears to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The risk of stroke was 23% lower in the one-fifth of people consuming the most chocolate—0.5 ounces to 3.5 ounces (16-99 grams) per day—compared to people consuming no chocolate over an average follow-up of 11-years according to a recent analysis from researchers in the U.K.

The researchers looked at data from another five (5) studies and found similar results, that higher versus lower chocolate consumption was associated with a 21% lower risk of stroke.

Three (3) studies found a 45% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (which includes both heart attack and stroke) among those who consumed the most chocolate versus the least.

Giving people cocoa, an average of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of dark chocolate per day, for a median of two (2) weeks lowered blood pressure by an average of 4.7 mm Hg systolic (the upper number) and 2.8 mm Hg diastolic (the lower number) compared to those who were not given cocoa according to a meta-analysis of five (5) randomized controlled studies of cocoa administration involving a total of 173 subjects.

“Current randomized dietary studies indicate that consumption of foods rich in cocoa may reduce blood pressure,” the authors of the paper concluded.