Peripheral artery disease, caused by atherosclerosis, is a condition in which the peripheral arteries serving the legs, stomach, arms and head narrow, causing symptoms such as cramping, pain or tiredness in the legs or hip muscles. In most cases, the pain subsides with rest. But peripheral artery disease can cause walking to be painful. According to a small trial published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation Research, scientists have identified a compound that could help ease the pain of walking from peripheral artery disease: cocoa.
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In the study, the researchers examined 44 people over the age of 60 who were suffering from PAD. The participants who drank a cocoa beverage three times per day for a period of six months were able to walk up to 42.6 meters farther than the other participants, in a six-minute walking test.
In the participants who consumed the cocoa beverage, researchers also noted increased blood flow to the calves, improved muscle function, increased mitochondrial activity and increased blood vessel density.
Study author Dr. Mary McDermott explained, “Few therapies are available for improving walking performance in people with PAD. In addition to reduced blood flow to the legs, people with peripheral artery disease have been shown to have damaged mitochondria in their calf muscles.” She continued, “If our results are confirmed in a larger trial, these findings suggest that cocoa – a relatively inexpensive, safe and accessible product – could potentially produce significant improvements in calf muscle health, blood flow, and walking performance for PAD patients.”
The cocoa used in the study was a natural, unsweetened cocoa powder rich in epicatechin. Epicatechin can be found in dark chocolate made up of 85% or more cacao.
The closer cocoa is to its natural raw state, the higher its nutritional value. If you're after health benefits, raw cacao nibs are what you're looking for. Cacao refers to the plant, a small evergreen tree of the species Theobroma cacao, and its dried seeds, also known as cacao beans or cocoa beans, prior to processing.
Ideally, you’ll want to them whole and grind them yourself (a coffee grinder can be used for this) when using in recipes. Alternatively, you can eat them whole, just like you'd eat conventional chocolate chips. A healthy amount would probably be around one-half to 1 ounce per day. When selecting chocolate, look for higher cacao and lower sugar content. In general, the darker the chocolate, the higher the cacao content.