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Studies in humans have found consumption of certain flavanoid‐containing foods to be associated with improvement in endothelial function and with reduction of blood pressure (BP). (–)‐Epicatechin is a compound representative of the flavanols (a subfamily of flavonoids), abundant in cocoa seeds, which is preserved during the industrialization process to chocolate. The antihypertensive effect of dietary (–)‐epicatechin was investigated on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Consumption of (–)‐epicatechin‐supplemented diet (3 g (–)‐epicatechin/kg diet) decreased BP in SHR by 27 and 23 mm Hg on days 2 and 6, respectively. On day 6, a 173% increase of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was observed in the aorta of EPI‐SHR as compared to nonsupplemented SHR (P < 0.05). Responses to acetylcholine (ACh) were then examined in femoral arteries in the absence and the presence of L‐NAME, a …