Chocolate doesn't have to be public enemy number one when it comes to health according to various studies. Indeed, recent research carried out in Italy and the United Kingdom respectively suggests that it is good for the brain – it improves memory capacities, reactivity and allows better processing of visual information, among other things – and for the heart. This last point has just been confirmed by the European Society of Cardiology which has declared that eating 3 chocolate bars a month can considerably reduce the risk of heart failure, the key being to moderate and not deprive yourself if you want avoid heart problems as you age. To reach these conclusions, the researchers looked at the cases of some 575,852 people to determine what precise impacts chocolate consumption had on the heart. It turned out that those who eat 3 bars a month are 23% less likely to suffer from heart failure compared to those who eat none at all.
However, exceeding this limit and therefore eating too much chocolate can have the opposite consequences:the people concerned have an average of 17% more risk of being affected by heart failure. The author of the study, Dr Chayakrit Krittanawong who practices in New York, explains to The Telegraph that the benefits of chocolate are based on the flavanols it contains:“[It] is an important source of flavanols which reduce inflammation and increase the level of good cholesterol ". These natural molecules increase the level of nitric oxide present in the body, which stimulates blood circulation. As mentioned earlier, overconsumption can, on the other hand, have negative effects on health because chocolate can be high in saturated fat, hence the importance of moderating cravings. Ideally, it is better to favor chocolate squares over Snickers, KitKat and other snacks that contain caramel, wafer, etc. in addition. This is something to comfort you with the arrival of autumn!
