(www.extremisimo.net) Researchers at the University of Linkoping in Sweden have discovered that eating dark chocolate inhibits the action of an enzyme nicknamed ACE, formally known as the angiotensin converting enzyme, which involves the body's fluid balance and helps regulate blood pressure .
The results are based on a study of 16 volunteers aged 20-45 who ate 75 grams of black chocolate with a 72% cocoa content.
Researchers led by Ingrid Persson, a professor of pharmacology within the university, measured the level of ACE activity in the blood of volunteers before eating chocolate, and again 30 minutes, one hour and three hours later.
Three hours after eating chocolate, ACE activity in volunteers' blood was 18 percent lower than before eating the cake - a change comparable to that of blood pressure lowering with drugs designed to inhibit ACE.
ACE plays an important role in the hormonal system that regulates renal water excretion and helps regulate blood pressure. The high levels of ACE's activity have been associated with hardening of the arteries and other cardiovascular diseases.
In general, when the activity of the enzyme decreases, blood pressure decreases, although the researchers did not carry out their study for a long period of time, that is enough to observe the effect, or directly measured blood pressure, said Persson .
Fuente: extremisimo.net
