NUTRITION: CHOCOLATE: GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Michael Cinquegrani, M.D.

If your heart goes pitter-patter at the sight of chocolate, you'll be happy to know that the candy to die for actually might have the opposite effect. Chocolate contains high levels of substances known as antioxidants, which may slow the progression of artery-clogging atherosclerosis.

Catechins - a type of antioxidant - are much more abundant in dark chocolate than in black tea. Four times more abundant, in fact. And research suggests that tea drinkers have a lower risk for heart disease.

However, before we conclude that the road to a long life is paved with chocolate, we must consider the other side of the equation. Lest you forget, chocolate also happens to contain a significant amount of fat. And as we all know, fat increases our risk of heart disease.

The only way we'll know for sure whether chocolate provides real health benefits is to conduct large-scale studies. But given the expense, it's unlikely such research will ever be done.

Probably the best we can hope for is a wash; that the beneficial substances in chocolate counter the negative effects of the fat. But perhaps we can go a step further. For many of us, chocolate also makes us feel good. And that may contribute to stress reduction - a very real factor in reducing heart attack risk.

Nevertheless, our overall diet is what's most important in staving off clogged arteries, so having a piece of chocolate once in a while will do no harm. Besides, the most tangible benefit will likely come from the general satisfaction of consuming this delicacy.

But if chocolate possibly offers some protection against heart disease, that's something to feel good about, too.