Chocolate Could Lower Your Risk of Stroke

(February 15, 2010) - Here's what every chocolate lover wants to hear: It may be good for you. Giving chocolates to your Valentine on February 14th may help lower their risk of stroke (Read about "Stroke") based on a preliminary study. The study, which is being presented at the American Academy of Neurology, also found that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke.

"Though more research is needed to determine whether chocolate is the contributing factor to lowering stroke risk, it is rich in anti-oxidants and that may have a protective effect against stroke," explains Dr. Gustavo Saposnik, one of the researchers.

Chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids which may help lower the risk of strokes.

The research analyzed three studies involving chocolate consumption and stroke risk. One showed there was no association between flavonoid intake and risk of stroke or death. In contrast, a second study found an association with stroke for chocolate consumption once a week as opposed to none per week. The third study suggested flavonoid intake from eating chocolate weekly lowered death caused by a stroke.

"We are continuing to investigate the correlation between chocolate and the risk of stroke," says Dr. Saposnik. "The preliminary data is interesting but we need to determine whether consumption truly lowers the risk of a stroke or whether the benefit is biased based on those who are on average healthier than the general population when enrolling in a clinical trial."