We recently found out that eating chocolate can help relieve a pesky cough, and now it seems the powers of the tasty treat doesn’t stop there as it has been revealed that certain types of chocolate consumed by woman during pregnancy can actually decrease the risk of a dangerous pregnancy complication.
According to a recent study conducted by Canadian researchers at the Université Laval Québec City, women who eat small quantities high-flavanol chocolate during pregnancy actually decreases the chances of them developing pre-eclampsia. The study which included 129 pregnant women, consisted of controlled tests that seen the women involved eating 30g of either high-flavanol or low-flavanol chocolate for 12 weeks until delivery.
The results found that high-flavanol chocolate consumption significantly decreased the risk of the women developing the illness, which reportedly affects up to 5% women during pregnancy. The potentially deadly condition causes high blood pressure and increased protein in the urine, which can potentially harm both child and mother if left untreated.
The lead scientist on the research Emmanuel Bujold, M.D. says that small quantities of chocolate could hugely beneficial to both pregnant women and the unborn child as this “latest study indicates that chocolate could have a positive impact on placenta and fetal growth and development and that chocolate’s effects are not solely and directly due to flavanol content.”