Dark Chocolate and High Blood Pressure

Good news for chocolate lovers: dark chocolate may lower blood pressure.

Reports about positive effects of dark chocolate are common. Portuguese researchers have now supported this in a small study of 30 healthy participants aged 18 to 27.

The participants were split into two groups. Both groups consumed 20 grams of chocolate daily for 30 days: one group had chocolate with about 55% cocoa and the other with about 90% cocoa. Both groups showed positive effects on the vascular system. However, the group that ate the higher-cocoa chocolate showed clearer results. Vascular tone decreased more noticeably. That also meant lower blood pressureespecially systolic pressure. There was also an improved interaction between the left ventricle and the body's main artery, the aorta.

However, no structural changes in the heart itself were detected. This may be partly due to the short study duration and partly because the study participants were all young and healthy.

Earlier studies have also often reported positive effects of dark chocolateespecially the flavonoids it contains.

However, hardly any significant blood pressure reductions have been observed in participants with high blood pressure that could be confidently attributed to chocolate consumption.

Therefore no explicit recommendation to eat chocolate can be given. The potential positive effects are offset by the known downsides of increased consumption. Chocolate is very calorie-dense and can promote overweight if eaten in excess. The sugar it contains also damages the teeth.

In January 2024 a study by Chinese researchers was published. They examined data from various studies, including the genetic profiles of almost 65,000 Europeans, to investigate the effects of dark chocolate. They found signs that consuming dark chocolate may reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure. A connection seems likely, but it should be investigated more closely. Dark chocolate had no effect on other cardiovascular risk factors.

In conclusion, if you want to give in to a chocolate craving, it's better to choose dark chocolate with a high cocoa content rather than varieties with little cocoa and lots of sugar. In our experience, you don't need a whole bar of dark chocolate to satisfy a cravingusually a few small pieces of the dark treat are enough.

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This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 01/2026).

Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.

Dark Chocolate and High Blood Pressure

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