Eating chocolate could lower your risk of heart disease - here’s what the study says

New research has revealed that eating chocolate at least once a week could lower your risk of heart disease and keep blood vessels healthy.

US scientists from Baylor College of Medicine in Texas have concluded that people who regularly eat chocolate are eight per cent less likely to suffer heart disease compared to those who do not.

How does chocolate help?

The findings, which have been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, show that helpful compounds in cocoa, known as ‘flavonoids’, are what raise levels of good cholesterol and boost blood vessel health while reducing inflammation.

Lead researcher, Dr Chayakrit Krittanawong, said, “Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy.

“In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels.”

How much chocolate is recommended?

The scientists dedicated nine years to the study, in which they followed 336,289 adults as they reported on the amount of chocolate they consumed. However, unfortunately they did not research which specific type of chocolate or portion size was best for boosting one's health.

Dr Krittanawong said, "More research is needed to pinpoint how much and what kind of chocolate could be recommended.”

Yet it seems that the age old advice of ‘everything in moderation’ rings true, as Dr Krittanawong has warned indulging too frequently and eating large portion sizes was unlikely to be beneficial for anyone’s long-term health.

He explained, “Moderate amounts of chocolate seem to protect the coronary arteries but it’s likely that large quantities do not.

“The calories, sugar, milk, and fat in commercially available products need to be considered, particularly in diabetics and obese people.”