New York (PTI): Chocolate is the most widely craved food in the world. But, who says that it's fattening? A new study has revealed that it lowers cholesterol levels. Researchers in the United States have found that eating two chocolate bars daily not only cuts down cholesterol levels but also controls high blood pressure, the 'Journal of Nutrition' reported in its latest edition.

"Eating two dark chocolate bars a day not only lowers cholesterol, it has the unexpected effect of lowering systolic blood pressure," according to lead researcher Prof John Erdman of the University of Illinois.

For the study, they recruited 49 people with slightly elevated cholesterol and normal blood pressure. Subsequently, the participants were divided into two matched groups who were given CocoaVia two types of chocolate bars -- one with plant sterols and one without.

The participants ate one CocoaVia formulation twice daily for four weeks, then switched to the other bar for an additional four weeks. Cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body weight, and other cardiovascular measures were tracked throughout the eight-week study.

"We saw a marked differential effect on blood cholesterol, with the sterol-containing products doing better than those without sterols," co-researcher Ellen Evans was quoted by the journal as saying. The researchers attributed the drop in cholesterol levels to the plant sterols that are added to chocolate bars and drop in blood pressure due to the substantial presence of flavanols.