Dark chocolate has always been applauded for its health benefits, so it only follows that you wonder if you will also get the same from its lighter counterpart, the milk chocolate. Sad to say, but you won't. But don't throw out all those chocolate bars just yet!
A recent study from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, which involved 20,951 participants, suggests that people who ate a certain amount of chocolate (most of it milk chocolate) for the past 11.3 years had a lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, compare to those who consumed a small amount to none at all (yes, non-chocolate eaters exist).
More proof? The research team also reviewed previous published studies, which covered a total of 130,000 people and said they found almost the same beneficial link with regular chocolate consumption. "Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events," it said.
"There does not appear to be any evidence to say that chocolate should be avoided in those who are concerned about cardiovascular risk."
But before you jump for joy, the researchers are also quick to note that too much chocolate is also bad for you. A regular 1.55-ounce bar contains 235 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 22 grams of sugar. Dark chocolate of the same quantity, on the other hand, has 263 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 11 grams of sugars.
Though slightly higher in terms of calories, dark chocolate has something over milk chocolate- fiber. Dark chocolate (1.55 oz.) contains five grams of fiber, while milk chocolate has only 1.5 grams.
Last word of advice? "I would not advise my patients to increase their chocolate intake based on this research, particularly if they are overweight," said Tim Chico, a cardiologist at the University of Sheffield in northern England.
