Instinctively, we know chocolate is wonderful, which is why we want to eat it all of the time...good chocolate, anyway.

While the cardioprotective effect of dark chocolate seen in several human studies appears to open the possibility that eating lots of chocolate is healthy, "I prefer to focus on cocoa," Dore said. "Cocoa is not like chocolate, which is high in saturated fat and calories. Cocoa can be part of a healthy diet, combined with fruits and vegetables." [Read]

Should we not see labeling before long: "Chocolate, the center of a healthy diet."

What comes first, the chicken or the egg:

People who tested positive for depression consumed about 60 percent more chocolate compared with people who had lower test scores. A depression score suggesting major depression more than doubled chocolate consumption, investigators reported in the April 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. [Read]

Now, if you were really depressed, would you not eat more chocolate? When things are not well, chocolate it one of those simple selfish pleasures that can bring joy.

When depressed, a bit of chocolate soothes the soul.

Always good news, when it comes to chocolate:

Cocoa-rich dark chocolate could be prescribed for people with liver cirrhosis in future, following the latest research to show potential health benefits of chocolate. [Read]

Let us put this in context: chocolate may be the prescription for liver cirrhosis.

BTW: We know that one of the contributing factors of liver cirrhosis is alcohol, so if you are enjoying wine a bit too much, you need to cut back, and not forget to take your chocolate. Everything in moderation...

Every day, you need chocolate!

A new study suggests that eating a small piece of chocolate every day may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. [Read]

Reminders are good. I am going to have a piece now.

There are times when we consider cutting back on chocolate over caloric intake concerns, but then we are reminded that to live a healthy and joyous life, chocolate should be enjoyed:

Yet another health benefit has been linked to eating chocolate: It may decrease your risk of stroke, a new study suggests.

The analysis, which will be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting, reviewed the results of three previous studies. One study with more than 44,000 participants found that those who ate a weekly serving of chocolate were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate no chocolate. [Read]

One more bite of that dark chocola....mmmmmmmm...

All right, so we kid about a chocolate and wine diet, but to some it is not a joke:

It’s a new eating plan that advocates drinking wine and eating chocolate every day to help you lose weight. Not only will you shed pounds but you will also live longer and decrease your risk of heart disease, dementia and diabetes. [Read]

Sure, he is serious, apparently, because he is trying to sell a book.

Here is a formula that is free: Eat, drink & be merry! And it goes without saying that chocolate and wine are a part of that formula...

Not sure you want to be eating any Cadbury chocolate for a while. The company said they have concerns about product safety:

A Cadbury spokesman says preliminary results show its Chinese-made chocolates contain the industrial chemical melamine. [Read]

Seeing a bag of HERSHEY'S ALL NATURAL EXTRA DARK PURE MINT DARK CHOCOLATE on a close-out shelf was a red flag of temptation. Mint. Dark chocolate. Sure it was Hershey's, but why not.

It was pretty good, but what was most fascinating was the packaging. On the front of the package was a small logo touting "COCOA IS A NATURAL SOURCE OF FLAVANOL ANTIOXIDANTS". If you looked at the back of the package it was being marketed for its health benefits. Under the heading "Total Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Foods" was a bar graph. In descending order, the items graphed were HERSHEY'S Cocoa, Blueberries, Hershey's Extra Dark dark chocolate, Red wine, Green tea and Almonds. The marketing text on the back of the package was a discussion of the health benefits of cocoa beans. According to their graph, HERSHEY'S Cocoa is the healthiest thing you can eat!

Yeah, it was pretty good. Really good if you take into account it came from generally bad chocolatier Hershey. But after reading the package, I realize I have greatly improved my health by eating HERSHEY'S chocolate. Sure, you thought the health benefits were from cocoa, but according to Hershey, they are cocoa!

Have fun. Enjoy. And give something new a try.

Not about chocolate. Not about wine. But if you are interested in the health benefits of chocolate and/or wine you may also be interested in drinking a cup of coffee each day:

Drinking one cup of coffee a day could protect against Alzheimer's disease, according to research.

American scientists found caffeine blocks the ability of cholesterol to move from the blood into the brain. [Read]

Now all we need is that story that says ice cream is the perfect food.

Eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day could be good for you, scientists say.

A study has found that a regular 2oz dose can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke - without any weight gain.

But before you reach for the king-size bar, beware. The effects are cancelled out if more than 30 calories are consumed each day, the researchers warn. [Read]

The effect was noticed after 18 weeks of daily consumption. Get to work.

Any more news like this and the pharmaceutical companies are going to have cocoa banned:

Drinking a traditional cup of cocoa at bedtime can help to lower blood pressure as effectively as prescription medications, researchers say. [Read]

As if any of us need encouragement to eat chocolate, but it helps to buttress an argument.

Listen to the way people malign chocolate: Sinful! Decadent! To die for! There's even that popular restaurant dessert known as "Death by Chocolate." But is this any way to talk about a loved one -- especially during the season of comfort and joy?

Bite your tongue! Evidence is mounting that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you. Here's the latest about the healthy side of your chocolate habit and taste-tested advice on what to try. Merry munching. [Read]

If you eat a little bit of dark chocolate each day you could be reducing your chances of developing a blood clot, say researchers from Johns Hopkins University, USA. They say dark chocolate helps thin the blood, in pretty much the same way as aspirin does. [Read]

Scientists have produced more compelling evidence that cocoa is good for your heart.

Dutch scientists found elderly men who consumed cocoa had lower blood pressure levels, and were less likely to die from cardiovascular problems. [Read]

Dark chocolate, but not white chocolate, may improve the ability of smokers' blood vessels to expand and contract in response to the body's needs, Swiss researchers have found.

The scientists divided 25 smokers into two groups. One group ate about two ounces of dark chocolate containing 74 percent cocoa, and the other consumed two ounces of white chocolate, which contains no cocoa.

The investigators calculated platelet activity and the flexibility of the blood vessels, two measures of healthy function, in an artery in the upper arm of each subject. In those who ate dark chocolate, both measures were considerably improved, and the effect lasted about eight hours. [Read]

If you aren't going to give up smoking, at least have some chocolate.

Only a small daily treat of dark chocolate may substantially increase the amount of antioxidant intake and beneficially affect vascular health... [Read]

Can there be any better news? Like a reason was necessary, but it doesn't hurt. Which will be easier to remember: Did I take my vitamins today? or Did I eat my dark chocolate today?

Improved blood flow

After two hours, ultrasound scans revealed that dark chocolate - made up of 74 per cent cocoa solids - significantly improved the smoothness of arterial flow, an effect which lasted eight hours.

Doesn't Viagra do something similar? Will chocolate replace Viagra? We can only hope.

Chocolate is not only the most incredible edible, but perhaps an uber-wonder-drug.

New science shows that chocolate may actually be a more effective cough medicine than the traditional remedies. Yes, chocolate may help you with your cough.

Ack. aaahck. Where's the chocolate.

Women who have a daily intake of chocolate showed higher levels of desire than women who did not have this habit. Chocolate can have a positive physiological impact on a woman’s sexuality.

Scientists hard at work, making sure we know the secret formula for joy. Like we didn’t know that answer to everything was chocolate.

What does this say about women who are chocolate averse? Do you try to slip your lover a bit of chocolate in their next meal?

They are saying that cocoa mixed with soy can be heart healthy and help in lowering cholesterol, which is why Mars has developed CocoaVia bars.

There is a quicker way. Make a glass of hot cocoa, and instead of water or milk, use soy milk. Take a cocoa mix you love, add some pure cocoa and mix with the hot soy milk and you will have that warm fuzzy feeling all over, and it might even be healthy. (We have not done all of the tests Mars has done, so all we know for sure is that it feels good, and it tastes good.)

The German DAK health insurance company said the antioxidants found in cocoa have been shown to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.

Did you need an excuse to eat chocolate, and from an insurance company? You know they are looking after their own interests, so if they say chocolate is good for you, it must be really good.