ANOTHER SPIN ON THE NUTRITION MERRY-GO-ROUND

It's being reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure.

Dark chocolate contains plant substances called polyphenols - ingredients that scientists think are responsible for the heart-healthy attributes of red wine. Polyphenols also have been shown to lower blood pressure in animals.

Blood pressure remained pretty much unchanged in the group that ate white chocolate, which does not contain polyphenols. But after two weeks, systolic blood pressure - the top number - had dropped an average of five points in the dark-chocolate group. The lower, or diastolic, reading fell an average of almost two points.

The participants had an average blood pressure reading of about 153 over 84.

While their blood pressure did not fall enough to be considered in the desirable range - below 120 over 80 - the results show dark chocolate "might serve as a promising approach to reduce systolic blood pressure," said lead author Dr. Dirk Taubert of the University of Cologne.

A while back, I reported about a research study that determined eating pizza reduces the risk of cancer. Now we hear that chocolate reduces blood pressure. What's a person to think? I know, eat chocolate pizza.