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Dr. Kim Mulvihill ReportingSo you might wonder why yet another new study says chocolate is actually good for you, especially dark chocolate!
If you can curb your enthusiasm a little chocolate is good for you. This isn't the first time we've heard chocolate has healthy benefits; today's study centers on chocolate and blood clots.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins found people who ate small amounts of chocolate -- like two tablespoons of dark chocolate a day -- had less clotting in narrow blood vessels than those who did not eat chocolate.
Experts caution these findings need to be taken in moderation -- this is not a prescription to binge on chocolate! They also say try to avoid chocolates high in sugar and fat and stick to dark chocolate.
Researchers originally started testing the effects of aspirin on blood platelets, which are the cells involved in blood clots. Participants were asked not to eat certain foods, like chocolate, but almost ten percent broke the rules. Researchers used data from the "rule-breakers" to conclude that casual chocolate eaters have a lower tendency to clot.
However, if your doctor has you taking aspirin to lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke, it's best to stick with that regimen. Think of this as more good news if you like to have a little sweet treat. Remember to balance the calories - if you're having chocolate, you may have to cut back on something else or exercise a little harder remember weight gain increases the risk of heart disease
There are other benefits of eating dark chocolate too. Cocoa is a rich source of antioxidants -- those can help mop up the free radicals that can damage blood vessels. The good news is that it may not take much to do some good. One study from the Netherlands looked at a very small dose of dark chocolate (one-third of one ounce) daily for 15 years had lower blood pressure than those who ate no chocolate.
