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Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a form of arterial aging, affects around 12 million North Americans, making it painful to walk, upping the risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack, and, for people with diabetes, increasing the risk of amputation. It develops when plaque clogs the arteries that convey blood from the heart to your legs (or arms, head, or kidneys). Without a good supply of oxygen, muscles struggle to work, you feel pain and numbness and it becomes harder for the body to fight infection.
But researchers discovered that eating around 1.4 ounces of 85% cacao chocolate may quickly reduce pain and inflammation in your legs -- perhaps by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow. After eating dark chocolate, study participants walked 11% farther and 15% longer than they could earlier that day!
So dodge added sugars and sugar syrups in prepared and processed foods and embrace the taste of dark chocolate. We recommend one ounce of 70% (or higher) cacao chocolate daily -- and keep walking as far as you can; adding to your distance every day.
