Go Over to the Dark Side. Of Chocolate, That Is
Weekly chocolate consumption helps heart
The study found that women who ate a small portion — about two-thirds of an ounce to an ounce — of high-quality chocolate once or twice a week had a 32 percent lower risk of developing heart failure.
Those who had one to three servings a month had a 26 percent lower risk.
Those who ate one serving or more daily didn't appear to gain any protective benefit.
Why the bad news about eating chocolate daily? Lead researcher Murray Mittleman, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, thinks it could be because the extra calories lead to weight gain or a less nutritious diet, canceling out chocolate's benefits.
However, the study noted that including small amounts of dark chocolate in the diet could help lower blood pressure and that some studies indicate the flavonoids in chocolate help improve heart blood vessel function.
Seems the archetypical Swedish proverb lagom är bäst, or “the right amount is best,” holds true for chocolate as well.
Candy Sagon writes about health and food for the AARP Bulletin.