I once heard on the news of a French lady who had lived to well over 100. When asked what the secret to her longevity was, she laughed and said that she eats a pound of chocolate per week (now I can’t remember exactly what the measurement was, but I remember thinking whoa, that’s a lot of chocolate!). That did it for me, from that point on I decided that chocolate was good for you. I suspected that this meant in moderation but nonetheless the important issue is that it is good for you.
I delved a little deeper into this and this is what I found. According to John Hopkins medicine, Dark chocolate (greater than 70% cacao) can increase heart health, balance the immune system, combat diabetes, reduce stress and improve brain function including better reaction time, visual-spatial awareness, and stronger memory. Though research is ongoing, one reason for this may be that flavanols in dark chocolate increase blood flow to the brain. This is great news, but I would always caution moderation when it comes to chocolate… and if you have difficulty moderating your chocolate intake, a psychologist can help!