# A chocolate a day keeps the coronaries away **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 17, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863 "2006-11-17T18:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/1 "2006-11-17T18:43:16Z")
Yes, we all know that chocolate, that magical, depressingly calorie-filled but nonetheless delectable confection can improve a mood. However, a [study on aspirin](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061114/hl_nm/heart_chocolate_dc) performed at renowned Johns Hopkins University has discovered, quite by accident, that there is a medicinal benefit to chocolate that can help avoid a heart attack in a similar way. > [@Johns Hopkins Study](#): > > They were so addicted, they just could not give up their favorite daily snack – not even in the interest of science. > ADVERTISEMENT > > But chocolate lovers who flunked out of a Johns Hopkins University study on aspirin and heart disease helped researchers stumble on an explanation of why a little chocolate a day can cut the risk of heart attack. > > It turns out chocolate, like aspirin, affects the platelets that cause blood to clot, Diane Becker of the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine and her colleagues discovered. > > “What these chocolate offenders taught us is that the chemical in cocoa beans has a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing platelet clumping, which can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack,” Becker said in a telephone interview. So there you have it. There’s no longer a need to feel guilty for sneaking in that bit of extra-dietary chocolate: You’re doing it for your health! Go chocolate! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/2 "2006-11-17T21:50:32Z")
Will it be good for my heart if I surround said chocolate with cookie dough and vanilla ice cream? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/3 "2006-11-17T22:16:03Z")
That sounds like the sort of medicine I would have no trouble remembering to take. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/4 "2006-11-17T23:42:15Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] Will it be good for my heart if I surround said chocolate with cookie dough and vanilla ice cream? 😛 [/QUOTE] I don’t know, but I’d wager it’s worth some study. Mmmm. Study. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/5 "2006-11-18T00:45:35Z")
I read some similar health claims for chocolate a few months ago, but there is a catch. It only applies to dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Above 70% cocoa. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/6 "2006-11-18T00:56:14Z")
First red wine, now chocolate. Any more good news? Nachos prevent cancer, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/7 "2006-11-18T04:49:45Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] First red wine, now chocolate. Any more good news? Nachos prevent cancer, maybe? [/QUOTE] apparently coffee is choc full of anti-oxidants. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/8 "2006-11-18T12:33:06Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] First red wine, now chocolate. Any more good news? Nachos prevent cancer, maybe? [/QUOTE] I’ve always hoped that pork scratchings are the elixir of eternal youth, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/9 "2006-11-18T12:48:40Z")
[QUOTE=Imasquare] I read some similar health claims for chocolate a few months ago, but there is a catch. It only applies to dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Above 70% cocoa. [/QUOTE] How is that a catch? It’s perfect! Mmmm, dark chocolate… ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/10 "2006-11-18T17:50:10Z")
Ugh. Dark chocolate? I can take that when it’s wrapped around a nice peppermint filling, but otherwise … ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/11 "2006-11-18T18:03:06Z")
Dark chocolate is the food of the gods! I have always preferred dark chocolate and the higher the cacoa content the better! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/12 "2006-11-18T18:24:11Z")
My mum’s a fan, I’m not. Apparently she’s going to live longer than me. I’ll take the extra red wine, if nobody’s looking… ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/13 "2006-11-19T05:26:35Z")
[QUOTE=Imasquare] It only applies to dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Above 70% cocoa. [/QUOTE] Why on Earth would anyone want to eat any \*other \*kind of chocolate? Personally, I recommend the Valrhona Le Noir Extra Amer (85%). Mmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/14 "2006-11-19T06:38:25Z")
Just wanted to point out that coronary arteries are good things, and in fact, we don’t want to keep them away. Coronary thrombosis, however, is definitely bad. But really, do people _need_ an excuse to eat chocolate? Dark chocolate is the way to go, although milk chocolate can be good. Just don’t put things like orange or banana in mine, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-chocolate-a-day-keeps-the-coronaries-away/380863/15 "2006-11-20T14:47:01Z")
[QUOTE=audiobottle] Dark chocolate is the way to go, although milk chocolate can be good. Just don’t put things like orange or banana in mine, thank you. [/QUOTE] You just reminded me of something very, very horrible. [Look if you dare](http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/food/terrys-chocolate-orange/) ::shudder