Elderly people eating dark chocolate is good for their heart

　　Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden reported that beneficial ingredients such as cocoa flavanols contained in dark chocolate can inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme, thereby protecting the heart.

　　The researchers explained that angiotensin-converting enzyme is an indispensable substance in the human hormonal system and plays a role in regulating blood pressure. Excessive angiotensin-converting enzyme levels may lead to arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular disease . When angiotensin-converting enzyme is inhibited, blood pressure decreases.

　　This is what researchers concluded after studying 16 volunteers aged 20 to 25. The researchers first measured the levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the blood of the volunteers, and then asked them to eat 75 grams of dark chocolate (72% cocoa content). Then 30 minutes, 1 hour and 3 hours later, the researchers measured the levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the volunteers' blood.

　　The study found that 3 hours after eating dark chocolate, the level of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the blood of volunteers dropped by 18%. This decrease was equivalent to taking a drug that controls angiotensin-converting enzyme.

　　The leader of the study, Professor Ingrid Burlson of Pharmacology, said that although past studies found that dark chocolate has a heart-protective function, they did not explain the specific reasons, but the latest study has initially revealed the mystery.