A small portion of dark chocolate a day keeps heart attacks and strokes away

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 01 Jun 2004 - 2:00 PDT

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If you eat a small portion of dark chocolate each day you reduce your risk of getting a heart attack or stroke, say US scientists in a new study.

You can read about this study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

The researchers found that dark chocolate is high in flavanoids. Flavanoids come from plants and are commonly found in dark chocolate. Flavanoids improve the function of blood vessels and prevent the build up of cholesterol (the bad cholesterol).

According to their lead researcher, Prof. Engler, many people are unaware that chocolate comes from plants, as are the fruits and vegetables we are told to eat for a healthy heart.