NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) - Here’s one more excuse to chomp down on that dark chocolate bar. It may help you lower your blood pressure.

A report published by Cochrane Collaborations that analyzed 20 studies found that people who eat a bit of dark chocolate or cocoa daily experienced a slight reduction in blood pressure.

“Although we don’t yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” lead researcher Karin Ried of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia said in the press release.

Scientists discovered that cocoa might have healthy properties after observing the customs of the indigenous people of San Blas Island in Central America, according to the report’s authors. The group drinks flavanol-rich cocoa drinks every day and tend to have normal blood pressure ranges in all age groups.

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