Had a Heart Attack? Nibble Some Chocolate!

Eating chocolate is a guilty sin to many people - those who’ve been indoctrinated in the fear of excess sugar, excess fat, and excess calories;  and some decades ago there was the erroneous belief that chocolate somehow stimulates acne.  We have weighed in on the side of chocolate from time to time, citing reports of its antioxidant properties, as well as warnings of possible adverse effects on bone metabolism.  A recent Swedish study in heart attack victims has brought the balance down in favor of chocolate consumption, however.  It’s published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. 

Researchers from the famed Karolinska Institute in Stockholm followed 1,169 non-diabetic patients who had had a heart attack between 1994 and 19996.  They had a health exam 3 months after discharge from hospital, and at that time were asked about their chocolate consumption over the previous 12 months.  They were then followed for 8 years, and cardiac and all-cause mortality was recorded. 

Analyses showed the more chocolate people ate, the more likely they were to survive the 8-year period.  Compared with those who ate no chocolate, those that ate it once a month had a 27% reduction in cardiac mortality.  Once-a-week chocolate consumption reduced mortality by 44%, and those eating it twice or more a week had a 66% reduction. 

Note that this study only shows that eating chocolate may prevent a second heart attack in patients who survived their first attack.  And there was no attempt to differentiate between milk and dark chocolate.  However, the results are sufficiently convincing to encourage me to continue eating my square of chocolate (milk!) after lunch each day, until new studies are reported.

Comments

[Jackie]

So interesting, Bob to read your website!
I am glad I can have a piece of chocolate without
any guilt! J.