A new study suggests that eating two chocolate bars daily can lower one's risk of death from stroke and heart disease.
Researchers at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry in Scotland reviewed the data of eight published studies, involving more than 159,000 people, to determine a link between chocolate and cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease.
During the 12-year follow-up period, those who consumed 100 grams of chocolate per day lowered their risk of stroke by 11 percent and heart disease by 25 percent. The rates are higher compared to those who do not consume chocolate who showed reduced risks of 4 percent for stroke and 12 percent for heart disease.
The researchers concluded, in the June 15 issue of British Medical Journal, that eating chocolate is actually beneficial to one's cardiovascular health. The so-called "guilty pleasure" is actually packed with flavonols, which is known to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.
There is a contradiction, though, because researchers found that most of the participants were eating milk chocolate, which is low in flavonols, suggesting that there might be another reason behind the cardiovascular benefits.
Experts also questioned the results of the study.
"Are we really chasing the right thing, focusing on the flavonols?" asked Dr. Farzaneh Aghdassi Sorond of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who was not involved in the study, in the Los Angeles Times. "Or is there something else? Does chocolate consumption represent a socioeconomic status or some other kind of healthy factor? This paper underscores the issue we face."
Professor Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow spoke to the Telegraph. "I would not be rushing out to buy chocolate for a treat—rather, if peckish, a piece or two of fruit is far better, and comes from nature itself," he said.
The researchers admitted that further study is needed, but it is still relevant because it provided evidence that eating chocolate can lower one's risks of stroke and heart disease. Just be careful, though, because a 100-gram dark chocolate bar comes with 600 calories and sugar.
