New Study Shows Chocolate Consumption Could Reduce Heart Risk

According to findings from a new study, consuming small amounts of chocolate on a daily basis could lower your risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. In fact, it was found that a patient’s risk could be lowered by as much as 40 percent. Previous studies have found that the consumption of dark chocolate is beneficial to one’s health, but this study is the first to track the benefits over a long period of time.

During the course of this study, German researchers followed a total of 20,000 people during the course of eight years. During this time period, the participants were asked periodically to fill out questionnaires containing questions about their diet and exercise habits. The results of the study showed that those who consumed six grams of chocolate per day lowered their chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke by almost 40 percent. Six grams of chocolate is roughly equal to one square of a chocolate bar. This study will be published Wednesday in the European Heart Journal.

Although there are many benefits to eating chocolate, patients should be sure not too eat too much of the sweet treat. If one would like to eat chocolate for its medical advantages, he or she should cut out other snacks and sweets. Eating too much chocolate can lead to unwanted weight gain, which is not healthy for the consumer.