Is Chocolate Really Good for You?

Is chocolate good for you? It’s a ubiquitous question that is almost always met with a disappointing answer... until now.

First of all, Cardiacare will be the first to tell you that excessive consumption of ANYTHING is a terrible idea, especially sugary snacks. With that said, there are cases where a decadent treat can have beneficial effects on the health of the individual. Chocolate has long been debated in terms of healthcare and the general rule of thumb favours intermittent enjoyment of pure dark chocolate and general avoidance of novelty chocolate bars.

If dark chocolate makes you baulk and you’d much rather have dairy milk then that may not be so bad according to a new study by University of Aberdeen health experts. In a study which saw more than 20,000 middle aged and elderly people participate, the outcome indicated that people who ate a “small bar a day” had an 11% decrease in risk of cardiovascular disease and most surprising, a 23% lesser risk of stroke.How is this possible?

First of all, the study was noble enough to point out that chocolate does NOT make you healthier. Secondly, this study was entirely observational so the biological details (cause and effect) could not be disclosed as to why people who ate chocolate were suffering less cardiovascular issues over the 12 year test period.

Interestingly enough, the people surveyed who did consume chocolate daily (up to 100g) “tended to be younger, have a lower weight, waist to hip ratio, and blood pressure” alongside lower levels of diabetes and increased physical productivity. If anything this means the people who eat chocolate a more carefree, easy going and physically active personalities while those who avoid chocolate altogether likely live quite an idle, anxious life. This is of course just a blind assumption based on vague figures but it’s an encouraging study which indicates that life’s little treats can be enjoyed IN MODERATION.

To read more about this study you can take a look at the original article here on BBC News.

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