Chocolate on the Brain? The Brain on Chocolate?

Good news for chocoholics: the treat may help your heart. According to a report published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (2004), small daily doses of dark chocolate are associated with improved blood vessel function in healthy people.
 
Chocolate Compounds Boost Blood Vessel Function

Researchers studied 21 people for two weeks in a randomised study in which some subjects received dark chocolate rich in compounds known as flavonoids while others ate placebo chocolate with a low flavonoid content. The researchers used ultrasound to measure blood flow through the brachial artery (the main artery in the arm) and the vessel's ability to expand, or dilate. After two weeks, the arteries of the flavonoid-rich chocolate eaters dilated by about 13 percent more than they had at the beginning of the study period.

The scientists also collected blood samples from the subjects and found that levels of the flavonoid epicatechin, which comes from the cocoa plant, rose significantly among those people who consumed flavonoid-rich chocolate. It would seem that the elevated blood levels of epicatechin trigger the release of active substances that increase blood flow in the artery And better blood flow is good for your heart. However, because standard processing methods can destroy flavonoids, not all chocolate is created equal when it comes to potentially beneficial effects.