We love chocolate and finally somebody has given us a healthy reason to eat it.

The Archives of Internal Medicine recently published a study about cocoa intake and mortality rates. The study followed men over a period of 15 years. The researchers concluded that "cocoa intake is inversely associated with blood pressure and 15-year cardiovascular and all-cause mortality."

The decreased mortality rates were not caused by lower blood pressure, so there was something else at work. One possibility might be flavan-3-ols, which are found in chocolate. Keep in mind that the sample size was only 470 elderly men. Furthermore, the study is not a green light to eat all of the chocolate that you want. Nonetheless, eating some in moderation might have health benefits.

You can see the study for yourself at the Archives of Internal Medicine web site. The abstract is free, but the entire article requires a subscription to view.