Health Zone: Chocolate consumption may lower heart disease risk – study

Researchers have discovered a link between moderate chocolate intake and a lowered risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter, the irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other serious problems.

Scientists, using food-frequency questionnaires to determine chocolate consumption, collected diet and health data from 55,502 men and women ages 50 to 64 in Denmark.

“About 3,346 cases of atrial fibrillation occurred in this follow-up study lasting over 13 years,’’ they said.

The study, however, showed participants who ate one to three one-ounce (28.35 grammes) servings a month had a 10-per cent lower rate of AF than those who hardly did.

“Those who ate one serving a week had a 17-per cent lower rate and those who ate two to six serving a week had a 20-percent lower rate,’’ researchers found.

Interestingly, the study also showed that participants with higher levels of chocolate intake were more likely to report a higher level of educational attainment.

According to the team, the study is observational and cannot prove that chocolate prevents AF.

-NAN