Preventing Deaths, with Chocolate?

According to a couple of studies recently published (see below), people who have had a first heart attack could benefit from chocolate consumption since eating chocolate significantly reduces the probability of dying from a another heart attack in the future. So, eating chocolate could be preventing your death.

A recent Stockholm and Boston-based study investigated approximately 1000 people who had suffered their first heart attack, and looked, through surveys, their chocolate consumption over the year prior to the heart attack and 8 years after their stroke. An interesting conclusion showed up: the more chocolate they ate, the lower the risk of dying from future heart disease. In fact the risk was up to 65% less than those who never ate chocolate.

However, don't go wild on chocolate. Moderation is the key. The study asked for the following chocolate eating behavior patterns: 1) never, 2) less than once a month, 3) up to once a week, and 4) twice or more per week. The "twice or more per week" was the category people with the lowest risk of dying from heart disease over the eight years after their first heart attack.

Why is chocolate preventing deaths? Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a group of bioactive molecules that have strong antioxidant properties. These flavonoids may be the source of chocolate's health benefits. According to certain studies 20 grams of dark chocolate every three days, and perhaps less, may be enough to reduce C-reactive protein levels (a marker of systemic inflammation).

Always ask your doctor but if you want to prevent heart attacks, especially if you already had one it would be a great idea, and a pleasant one, to eat chocolate

Sources:

Janszky and others (2009) Chocolate consumption and mortality following a first e\acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program. J. of Int. Med., 266 (209): 248-257.

Di Giuseppe, and others (2008). Regular Consumption of Dark Chocolate Is Associated with Low Serum Concentrations of C-Reactive Protein in a Healthy Italian Population. J. of Nutrition, 138: 1,939-1,945.