Study finds link between chocolate consumption and Stroke risk

In a study based on a prospective investigation of a large group of male patients over 10 years, researchers have seen a link between chocolate consumption and stroke risk. The team looked at questionnaire responses from 37,103 Swedish men aged 49 to 75 and using data from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry, researchers identified 1,995 cases of first stroke among the men during the 10 years following their questionnaire. The stroke cases included 1,511 cerebral infarctions, 321 hemorrhagic strokes, and 163 unspecified strokes. They discovered that men who ate the most chocolate (63 gms per week), had a 17% lower risk of stroke than those who never or very rarely ate chocolate. The researchers also analysed data from five studies that included 4,260 cases of stroke and information on chocolate consumption, which revealed those who ate the most chocolate had a 19% lower risk for stroke. They also noted a dose-response relationship: for each 50 gms of chocolate consumed per week, stroke risk fell by about 14%. "It's also possible that flavonoids in chocolate may decrease blood concentrations of bad cholesterol and reduce blood pressure," says Susanna C. Larsson, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.