Dark chocolate, with flavanols (the same anti-oxidant in red wine) has been in the news as being heart-healthy. But, how does it work. This study* showed that blood flow improved in diabetics given a cocoa beverage to drink three times a day.

The researchers used a test called “Brachial Artery Flow Mediated Dilation” to measure the health of the blood vessels in the participants. Abbreviated as BAFMD, it will come up again and again. It is easy to do, inexpensive, and it is a very good measure of how pliable your arteries are. Cells, which line the walls of your blood vessels, secrete substances that let your blood vessels know when it is time to dilate, for example, when you are running to catch the bus. A low BAFMD is bad. Increasing your BAFMD is good. People with decreased BAFMD are at high risk to develop heart attacks and strokes over time. People with diabetes, even if their blood sugar is controlled, have less ability to dilate. They have a lower, or impaired, BAFMD.

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