Potential Benefit of Dark Chocolate for Liver Disease Patients

According to the Spanish research, eating dark chocolate 
reduces damage to the blood vessels of cirrhotic patients and 
also lowers blood pressure in the liver. 
Dark chocolate contains potent anti-oxidants which reduce the 
post-prandial (after-meal) blood pressure in the liver 
(or portal hypertension) associated with damaged liver blood vessels 
(endothelial dysfunction). 
The data also showed that eating dark chocolate may exert additional 
beneficial effects throughout the whole body. In comparison, 
white chocolate, which contains no beneficial 'phytochemicals', 
did not result in the same effects.

Professor Mark Thursz, MD FRCP, Vice Secretary of EASL 
and Professor of Hepatology, at Imperial College London said: 
"As well as advanced technologies and high science, 
it is important to explore the potential of alternative sources which 
can contribute to the overall wellbeing of a patient. 
This study shows a clear association between eating dark chocolate 
and portal hypertension and demonstrates the potential importance 
of improvements in the management of cirrhotic patients, 
to minimise the onset and impact of end stage liver disease and 
its associated mortality risks.".... [...]sciencedaily.com