Could cocoa help delay high blood pressure?

Centuries after the Mayans and Aztecs first turned to cacao for medicinal use , researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have found promising evidence that cocoa extract could help older adults keep their blood pressure in check.

In an article published last month in the scientific journal Hypertension , the researchers reported that in older adults with normal blood pressure, consuming the dietary supplement long term may actually help preserve vascular function and reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.

“It was interesting nuance in that, if you have low blood pressure and want to keep it there, taking cocoa extract supplements seemed to be a way to do that,” explained Dr. Howard Sesso, an author on the paper and one of the principal investigators behind the Coc