Eating chocolate is good for you

Italian experts have released research confirming that eating dark chocolate could help control blood pressure and diabetes.

In a 15 person study, by the University of L'Aquila, researchers found that eating 100g of dark chocolate per day for 15 days lowered blood pressure. They also found that the body's ability to metabolise sugar was improved, which is normally a problem for people with diabetes.

Dark chocolate contains an antioxidant called flavanol which neutralises the potentially cell-damaging substances known as oxygen free radicals.

However, lead researcher Dr Claudio Ferri has warned that people need to be careful with their chocolate consumption, because "dark chocolate contains antioxidants, but also a lot of fat and calories." He recommends that anyone wanting to add chocolate to their diet should remove an equivalent number of calories by cutting back on other foods, to avoid weight gain.

Nutrition expert Cesar Fraga, of the University of California, has said that the findings on blood pressure are credible, as it is already known that other foods containing flavanols, such as red wine and tea, also have a similar effect on blood pressure.

Diabetes UK have pointed out that it was a small study, only 15 people, but that it was an interesting result, and while people with diabetes can eat dark chocolate in moderation, they still needed to eat a balanced low fat, sugar and salt diet, including starchy carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables combined with regular exercise to control their condition.

The chairman of the Blood Pressure Association, Professor Graham MacGregor, said "the benefits of eating chocolate are likely to be outweighed by the disadvantages as chocolate is high in sugar and fat," and that more research was needed.

Unfortunately if you're not a dark chocolate fan eating white or milk chocolate in the same quantities does not have the same effect.