According to a new study, consuming a chunk of chocolate on a daily basis could help control blood pressure level.

Chocolate contains chemical called flavanols, which naturally open up blood vessels in the human body that, in turn, helps blood to flow more easily and the pressure drops.

Dr. Karin Ried, at Adelaide University, said, "You don''t always need medication to reduce blood pressure. This shows that there are some foods that can help."

Dr. Ried and her fellow workers discovered that for people with high blood pressure, consuming chocolate could lessen the blood pressure level by around 5%.

But, addition study is needed to discover the optimal amount of chocolate, which was required to make the most difference.

The outcomes of the research group showed that chocolate helps drop blood pressure level as much as 30 daily minutes of moderate physical activity like brisk walking or swimming would.

However the health giving benefits have to be weighed against its contribution to obesity.

The results of the study were released in the journal BMC Medicine. (With Inputs from Agencies)