Combat cancer - Eat More Chocolate!

In one of those health and nutrition stories that make you think “when are they going to tell us to start smoking because it’s beneficial”, Chocoholics around the world can quite literally take heart from research that shows chocolate can help you live longer.According to US research, people who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times a month live almost a year longer than those who eat a lot or those who steer clear of the stuff altogether.Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health studied almost 8,000 men aged around 65 for a five-year period. The results were adjusted for other risk factors, including smoking and alcohol intake.

Chocolate, which was the obsession of the Aztecs (even today chocolate is used as a routine ingredient in Latin American cooking) was introduced to Europe after the Conquistadors’ conquest of South America.Chocolate is big business with a global market worth of at least $75 billion, so this research is excellent news for the manufacturers.

It’s great news too for the British, who consume on average 14 kilograms per person of sugar confectionery each year.OK, that’s not just chocolate, but includes chocolate biscuits, Jaffa cakes, chocolate digestives, Easter Eggs etc.In contrast, and not as you would have thought given their reputation for obesity, the average American only eats around 6.5  kilograms of the stuff  in the same period.

Although the test included both chocolate and sweets, the researchers believe chocolate is the key life extender because it contains substances that protect against heart disease and cancer. Chocolate, like red wine, is believed to contain chemicals called phenols. These reduce free radicals that damage cells and DNA.  The process of chocolate making from the cacao plant may also restrict the formation of the type of cholesterol which damages the heart as well as boosting the immune system.

However, as most food books will tell you, chocolate is high in calories and eating too much can make you fat, thereby actually increasing your risk of heart disease. So the startling truth, as with all these diet and nutrition scare stories, appears to be “moderation in everything” is the key to a long and happy life.