Could eating a chocolate bar actually reduce your risk of having a stroke or dying from a stroke? A new analysis of several studies suggests that may be the case¹.

The first study, involving almost 45,000 people, found that those who ate one serving of chocolate per week had a 22% reduced risk of stroke, compared to those who ate none. A second study of 1,169 stroke victims found that those who ate 50 grams of chocolate a week reduced their risk of dying from a stroke by 46%. A third study found no association between chocolate consumption and stroke.

Dr. Saposnik, a neurologist involved in one of the studies, pointed out that these results are interesting, but further study is needed to determine whether it's actually the chocolate at work, or whether the benefits are biased based on the fact that people who enroll in clinical trials tend to be healthier than the general population.

The potential benefits of chocolate are believed to be related to its rich content of powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help promote cellular health. I believe that regularly consuming small amounts of dark chocolate can be quite beneficial-but avoid milk chocolate, which has a very low flavonoid content and is full of fat and sugar. When choosing a dark chocolate, look for a high cocoa content. Healthy living never tasted so sweet!

1. Babb, Angela. "Can Chocolate Lower Your Risk Of Stroke?" American Academy of Neurology. February 11, 2010. Web.