Chocolate 'can cut heart failure risk'

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]







LONDON: Eating a small amount of chocolate can reduce the risk of heart failure, it has been suggested.

A recent study conducted at Northwestern University has found that women who eat small amounts of dark chocolate had a reduced risk of heart problems.

The study looked at nearly 32,000 Swedish women aged between 48 and 83.

Those who ate an average of one to two servings of high quality chocolate a week had a 32 per cent lower risk of heart failure.

However, those who ate more than this found that the benefits were cancelled out.

Lead researcher Dr Murray Mittleman explained: "You can't ignore that chocolate is a relatively calorie-dense food and large amounts of habitual consumption is going to raise your risks for weight gain."

"But if you're going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it's in moderation."