High blood pressure is a common condition that affects more than a quarter of all adults in the UK. But, you could lower your risk of developing hypertension by simply eating a portion of dark chocolate every day, it’s been claimed.
High blood pressure – which is also known as hypertension – puts extra stress on blood vessels and vital organs.
The condition could lead to some deadly complications, including strokes and heart attacks.
It could be caused by eating an unhealthy diet, or by not doing enough exercise.
One of the easiest ways to protect against high blood pressure is to add dark chocolate to your diet.
Dark chocolate could lower your blood pressure as it contains cocoa, according to nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer.
Cocoa is a natural remedy for hypertension as it’s a rich source of antioxidant flavanol polyphenols, she said.
These antioxidants dilate blood vessels, which subsequently lowers your risk of high blood pressure.
Everyone should aim to eat between 300mg and 600mg of cocoa flavanols every day; the equivalent to around a small, 40g bar of dark chocolate.
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“Cocoa is a delicious natural remedy for high blood pressure,” said Dr Brewer, on her website MyLowerBloodPressure.com.
“Cocoa powder is a rich source of antioxidant flavanol polyphenols that dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and protect against heart attack and stroke.
“Enjoy a mug of hot chocolate every night and see your blood pressure come down.
“It’s fine to add milk [which provides calcium] but don’t add sugar and definitely steer clear of marshmallows.”
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Meanwhile, you could also lower your risk of high blood pressure by eating apples, she added.
Apples are one of the best dietary sources of flavonoids.
Flavonoids have been claimed to lower hypertension risk, as well as the chances of having a deadly heart attack.
People that eat the most apples are actually 41 percent less likely to have a stroke, which is a complication of high blood pressure.
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High blood pressure is often known as ‘the silent killer’, because symptoms only tend to reveal themselves if you have extremely high blood pressure.
The most common high blood pressure symptoms include a pounding in your chest, finding blood in your urine, and severe headaches.
It’s crucial that all adults over 40 years old check their blood pressure at least once every five years.
You can check your blood pressure by visiting your local doctors’ surgery or pharmacy.
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