SWEET SCIENCE: Chocolates lower stroke risk

      

RICH IN FLAVONOIDS THAT SHIELD HEART

Toronto : Eating chocolate may lower your risk of a stroke, says an analysis of available, research.

                Chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which may have a protective effect against stroke. A study found that  eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke. The analysis involved reviewing three studies on chocolate and stroke.

                The second study found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were

22% less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate.

               Another study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% 

less likely to die following a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate. Consuming flavonoids has been linked to heart benefits. The antioxidants help protect cells against damage that might come from environmental toxins.

               " More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether 

healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others," said study author Sarah Sahib of McMaster University. IANS