Insurance firm urges clients to prevent heart disease by eating more chocolate

But don't go crazy on the chocolate bars: the added sugars in nearly all chocolate are known to promote diabetes and obesity. The healthiest source of chocolate is, of course, unsweetened chocolate. It's quite bitter, however, and not well liked by those who try it.

• A German insurance firm has written to clients urging them to eat more chocolate if they want to cut the risk of heart attacks.
• Many scientists now accept the antioxidants found in cocoa have been shown to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.
• But this is the first time an insurance firm has taken the initiative to write to tell clients about the findings.
• The German DAK health insurance company says plain chocolate, in moderation, is good for the heart, and quotes research conducted in Greece to back up their claims.
• Cocoa and chocolate products are rich in flavanols - a class of natural compounds found in a variety of foods including tea and red wine.
• According to a review in The British Journal of Cardiology, experiments have shown that flavanols have a beneficial influence on vascular health.
• Cardiovascular diseases remain the number one killer in developed countries.
• The prime cause is atherosclerosis which leads to furring-up and blockages of the arteries.
• The company says that the evidence is now strong enough that they decided to urge clients to eat more chocolate.
• But it did warn against excess, adding that a bar a day should be enough, and that eating too much chocolate can lead to obesity and an increased risk of heart disease.