Some Sweet News about Chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Here’s why you can go ahead and eat the whole bar – guilt-free!

Eating up to 100 g.  – a whole large Lindt bar! – of chocolate every day is linked to lowered heart disease and stroke risk, according to a recent observational study reported in the journal Heart.

“Higher levels of consumption were associated with lower weight (BMI),  systolic blood pressure, inflammatory proteins, diabetes and more physical activity – all of which add up to a favourable cardiovascular risk profile.”

Compared with those who ate no chocolate, eating lots of chocolate was linked to:

·      An 11 % lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25% lower risk of associated death

·      A 9 % lower risk of hospital admission or death as a result of coronary heart disease

·      A 23% lower risk of stroke, even after taking account of other potential risk factors

And milk chocolate, usually thought to be less healthy than dark chocolate, might also be beneficial: “Not only flavonoids but also other compounds, possibly related to milk constituents, such as calcium and fatty acids, may provide an explanation.”