Brief delight

Researchers giveth and then taketh away: Latest example? Dark chocolate.

What a blow to people looking for an excuse for self-indulgence! The news sounded so good at first, then it turned disappointing for many.

A study has indicated that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure, something almost everyone thinks is advantageous. But it takes less than two Hershey Kisses to achieve the benefit. No rush for heavy intake, please. Diet-watchers who saw the headline about the merits of chocolate suddenly had their dreams dashed by the low amount of consumption recommended.

Volunteers for the study, in Germany, ate just over six grams of dark chocolate daily for about five months. That amount of chocolate equates to about one and a half Hershey Kisses. The research involved 44 people ages 56 through 73. The results reflected other studies of cocoa-containing foods. Cocoa contains flavanols, plant-based compounds that also are credited with giving red wine its alleged heart-healthy benefits.

Then more unfavorable news for would-be bingers – overconsumption of dark chocolate can lead to weight gain, not to mention the dangers of dental decay.

How often it is that researchers giveth then just as quickly taketh away with their qualifications about a potentially enjoyable health “benefit”?