Chocolate is a health food! So get ready for a happy Valentine’s Day!

Just in time for V-Day an article in AAP News tells us why chocolate is a health food. Dr. Cody Meissner, Professor of Pediatrics at Tuffs Medical Center, reviewed the medical literature and found four ways chocolate helps us stay healthy.

Chocolate contains flavanols, substances also found in green tea and red wine, which have several favorable effects on health.

First, and probably most important, flavanols have been shown to improve cognition – thinking and reasoning – something that should make all of us happy. He found studies showing a direct relationship between number of Nobel Prize winners in 23 Countries and per person consumption of chocolate. Not many of us have much of a chance at winning a Nobel, but being able to think better is appealing at least to me.

Second, “Adults who consumed chocolate more frequently had lower BMI than those who consumed less chocolate…” even though they consumed more calories. That reminded me of a weight loss candy, “Ades” advertised when I was in high school. Some of our older readers may remember it. The scoop was to eat one of these chocolate candies before dinner and your appetite would be satisfied and you would eat less and lose weight. I don’t know anyone who tried it, but my mother joked about it often.

Another study showed that eating a chocolate bar daily lowered blood pressure and reduced cardio-vascular (heart attack) deaths in inactive as well as active individuals. Furthermore, there were no side effects. Daily chocolate intake also decreased total cholesterol and low-density cholesterol (the real bad kind).

Finally, dark chocolate which contains the most flavanols also contains iron and helps prevent iron deficient anemia.

How much better can it get?

I’m not saying throw away your blood pressure medicines, lie on the sofa, watch soaps, and wait for your Nobel Prize to arrive. I am just saying make every day Valentine’s Day, love your family, neighbors and friends and enjoy some chocolate every day.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Thank you Dr. Meissner!

P.S. Share this good news with your friends and families so they too, can become guilt-free chocolate eaters.