Chocolate is delicious — and science now tells us it's also nutritious.
According to a study published in the journal Heart, people who ate chocolate, even up to 100 grams a day, had a lower risk of future cardiovascular, or heart, events.
"That's about two Hershey bars, or 20 Hershey kisses a day," a Fox News anchor said.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen and other schools looked at 20,951 men and women and found in a follow-up about 11 years later that 9.7 percent of people with higher chocolate consumption had coronary heart disease, compared to 13.8 percent with low chocolate consumption.
The rate for stroke in chocolate-eaters was 3.1 percent, and for low chocolate-eaters, it was 5.4 percent.
Eat chocolate and lower your risk for coronary heart disease and stroke? Researchers' calculations also showed chocolate-eaters had an 11 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Could make a great campaign for Hershey's.
Although researchers mentioned the data could be skewed because people with a high risk of heart disease may avoid chocolate in the first place, meaning those who do indulge in it may be healthier from the start.
But good news for those with a high risk of heart disease? The study concludes there's no evidence that people concerned about cardiovascular issues should avoid chocolate. #ChocolateForAll.
And to add to everyone's chocolate fantasies, it seems both milk and dark chocolate are good for you.
This video includes images from Everjean / CC BY 2.0, Siona Karen / CC BY 2.0 and Golden_ie / CC BY 2.0.
