A piece of chocolate a day can have the same effect as a half hours daily physical exercise in reducing high blood pressure, according to a new Australian scientific research.

The study, under the act Karin Reed University of Adelaide, published in the medical journal "BMC Medicine", according to the British "Telegraph" says that those who suffer from high blood pressure, chocolate may reduce the risk of heart attacks or stroke to 20% within five years.

The chocolate - especially the black-containing chemicals that flavonols naturally widen the blood vessels and thereby enabling the flow of blood, dropping the pressure. "We need to get everywhere drugs to reduce pressure. There are foods that help on this," said Mrs. Reed.

The Australian study found the consumption of chocolate may be the pressure drop to 5% of those who have hypertension, but does not affect people who have normal blood pressure and thus does not cause hypotension (low pressure).

People with high blood pressure are constantly systolic pressure above 140 or diastolic over 90. Normal pressure is about 90/60. Research shows that chocolate rolls around 5 points systolic pressure, which is equivalent to the result which has a half hours of moderate intensity physical activity (brisk walking, swimming, etc.).

Another study, which was shown earlier this year showed that people who eat a chocolate a week have 22% less likely to suffer a stroke.