Jul 02, 2014 06:29 PM EDT By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Dark chocolate may help ease poor leg circulation, according to a recent study HealthDay reported.

Italian researchers found that people with peripheral artery disease or those who suffer from reduced blood flow to their legs may be able to walk a little longer and farther after eating dark chocolate.

They believe polyphenols, the antioxidants found in the sweet treat, improve blood flow to the legs by affecting biochemicals that prompt arteries to widen.

"Nutrients are key components of health and disease," Dr. Lorenzo Loffredo, lead author of the study, told Reuters.

For the study, researchers collected data from 14 men and six women who were in their late 60s, on average. Researchers had them walk on a treadmill for as long as possible while it was set at about 2.2 miles per hour and a 12-percent grade, Reuters reported.

They were then randomly assigned to eat a bar of either dark or milk chocolate and re-took the treadmill test two hours later.

For those who ate milk chocolate, time and distance walked did not change between the first and second sessions. However, those who ate dark chocolate were able to walk for about 17 seconds longer and 39 feet farther than during their initial walk.

"Our body secretes chemicals that naturally dilate blood vessels in response to certain stimuli, improving the blood flow to certain areas," Dr. Richard Chazal, vice president of the American College of Cardiology, told HealthDay. "Some of the chemicals inside dark chocolate could affect the way these enzymes are metabolized in the body," suggested Dr. Richard Chazal, vice president of the American College of Cardiology.

 Chazal was not involved with the study.

However, Chazal noted that chocolate is also high in fat and sugar, and eating too much can contribute to health problems such as obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. He said the study's true value lies in identifying the way that polyphenols, which can be found in foods with less added sugar and saturated fats, such as dried peppermint and hazelnut, might affect blood flow to the legs.

The findings were recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

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