Cocoa improves blood flow to the heart in cardiac patients

In this study researchers in the Cardiology department, University Hospital, Zurich, gave 22 heart transplant recipients either Cocoa Polyphenol rich dark chocolate or chocolate without the Cocoa polyphenols in a placebo-controlled study. The Cocoa Polyphenols significantly opened up the coronary arteries improving blood flow to the heart and there was a decreased tendency to form an improper blood clot due to platelet clumping in the heart. There was also a significant jump in antioxidant activity in the Cocoa Polyphenol receiving patients. The study is published in the November 20th, 2007 issue of Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association.I>