A new study suggests that people who eat chocolate regularly may have lower risk of heart disease.
People who eat chocolate regularly may reduce the risk of heart disease by one-third. The researchers analyzed 100,000 people and those who eat chocolate most in a regular basis have reduced their relative risk for heart disease.
Lead researcher Dr. Oscar H. Franco, said that they found a potential link between prevention of heart disease and chocolate eating. Dr Franco is from the department of public health and primary care at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Franco added that because of the fat and sugar content of chocolates, it must be consumed moderately. People who aim to lower their risk of having heart diseases might be consuming more than enough chocolates, however, this is not good. He added that they have not done any clinical trials to see if the relationship has direct effect. The researchers are only at the early stage of research.
Dr. Franco added that for those people who are already eating chocolate must continuously do this habit but in moderation. In addition, those people who do not eat chocolate must start to eat chocolate.
The researchers did a meta-analysis wherein they find different medical literature to link the relationship of chocolate consumption and heart diseases in relevant published studies. Researchers found seven studies and analyzed 114, 009 people.
The group found these information in the study, people who ate chocolate regularly may reduce their risk of having heart disease as much as 37 percent, their risk of diabetes may be reduced at 31 percent and their risk of stroke by 29 percent. However, they emphasized that chocolate have no effect on hrat failure risk.
The report was published in the August 29 edition of the BMJ. The group also matches the presentation related study at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Paris.
The most types of chocolate that were indulged in the study are dark, milk and white chocolate. The study was not clear what the most beneficial chocolate among these three is. Dr. Franco suspected that dark chocolate is the best to be consumed; however, this must be confirmed. Chocolate bars, drinks, biscuits and desserts are also consumed in the study.