Private MD News

Study: Eating chocolate may lower the risk of stroke

Category: General Health

New analysis of available research has found that the consumption of chocolate may be linked to a lower risk of stroke and stroke-related death.

Researchers from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, reviewed 3 studies over an 8-year period that assessed stroke risk and flavonoids, which are antioxidants that are commonly found in chocolate.

One study, which involved nearly 45,000 participants, found that people who consumed one serving of chocolate per week had a 22 percent lower risk of having a stroke. Meanwhile, a second study revealed that people who eat 50 grams of chocolate each week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than respondents who eat no chocolate.

The third study discovered no link between the consumption of chocolate and stroke risk.

"More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others," concluded study author Sarah Sahib.

Other quality sources for flavonoids include citrus fruits, green tea, red wine and gingko biloba supplements.