Chocoholics should rejoice, just in moderation! I know that sounds like a bit of a contradiction (since addicts by definition don’t take part with self-restraint), but if you realize that you don’t have to demonize your favorite sweet, you can enjoy it on a daily basis.
One piece of dark chocolate each day can be valuable to your heart health. Unfortunately for me, the benefits aren’t found in milk chocolate.
An Italian study has shown that dark chocolate can significantly reduce the inflammation that leads to cardiovascular disease.
The caveat is that you only see these benefits if you eat it in very small amounts. The ideal amount is about .25 ounces. That means you need to spread a typical Hershey chocolate bar out over about seven days.
People who eat dark chocolate regularly in the aforementioned servings have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein. Research shows that people who have a low amount of C-reactive protein in their blood have lower levels of inflammation.