EASL/Dark Chocolate and Cirrhosis

Patients suffering from liver cirrhosis and from dangerously high blood pressure in their abdomen may soon be treated with dark chocolate. According to research presented at the International Liver Congress 2010, dark chocolate reduces damage to the blood vessels of cirrhotic patients and also lowers blood pressure in the liver. Dark chocolate contains anti-oxidants which reduce the after-meal blood pressure in the liver associated with damaged liver blood vessels.
After eating, blood pressure in the abdominal veins usually increases due to increased blood flow to the liver. This is bad for cirrhotic patients because they already have increased blood pressure in the liver. Lowering the after-meal blood pressure with dark chocolate could reduce this potential risk
http://hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2010/04/easldark-chocolate-and-cirrhosis.html

[frijole]

Now that is an intelligent issue!  I should be able to totally hold cirhhosis off

Thanks.  Chocolate rules!

frijole

[fashion345]

Very interesting.  My dr. told me to eat small amounts before I eat to help with the bad taste I am experiencing on treatment.  Nice to know there are other positives with chocolate!  BTW - he said has to be the very, very dark type, bitter sweet.

[hcvJames]

Good grief. This is another thing I was told not to eat and turns out it may actually be GOOD for you? The other thing was caffeine. In the forums 30 people or so chimed in on one thread posting links to studies saying how great caffeine was!

Never cared for chocolate, but I'd eat some now because it has taste which is lacking in my current diet.

All the best guys. Enjoy your chocolate, I'm envious!

[evangelin]

Our Walmart has a 90% cocoa brand for 1.89 in the big bar variety.  It seems to cause Joe a little heart burn but sounds like it could be very helpful with his esophageal varicies/portal pressure issue.
Thanks,
Ev