If you've got a sweet tooth and love eating chocolate, you're going to love learning about the new study printed by BMJ, a global medical publisher, that found that eating chocolate could be good for your heart. The researchers from the University of Cambridge looked at seven studies, which tested over 100,00 people, to find out if eating chocolate had health benefits. What they discovered was that five out of the seven studies showed chocolate eaters had lower risk levels for heart disease and stroke. According to their conclusions, those with the highest chocolate consumption levels experienced a 37 percent less risk of heart disease and 29 percent less risk of stroke compared to the people who had the lowest intake of chocolate.
This doesn't mean you should go out and buy a bunch of chocolate bars, though. The researchers note that more specific tests need to be done to determine whether it really is eating chocolate that decreases the risk for cardiovascular diseases and not some other common factor in the participants.
Previous research does show, however, that eating dark chocolate in moderate amounts can help lower your stress hormone levels, so no one's stopping you from grabbing a bite and enjoying a piece when you're feeling down. Just like any other food item, though, be careful not to overindulge. You might be getting heart-healthy benefits from chocolate, but if you consume too much sugar, the researchers say you could increase your risk of diabetes!
Want to see more galleries that include chocolate? Check these out:
- New Study: Dark Chocolate Lessens Emotional Stress + 12 Top Brands' Calorie Counts
- Everyday Aphrodisiacs: Food to Get You in the Mood
- FN Fact and Fiction: 15 Health Myths and Old Wives' Tales Debunked
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(Photo by tazzmaniac via sxc.hu)
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