Valentine's Day Chocolate

Just when you think the celebrating has ended, along comes Valentine's Day conjuring up visions of conversation hearts and red velvet boxes filled with chocolate. I can't help you with the conversation hearts, but I may have some good news about the chocolate.Our love affair with chocolate started centuries ago when the cocoa plant was referred to as 'the divine food.' Perhaps early scientists knew more about chocolate than we thought. Recent studies found that small amounts of dark chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity in healthy adults. Why these health benefits occur isn't completely understood, researchers think it's the phenols found in the cocoa plant. They act as antioxidants responsible for relaxing blood vessels leading to lower blood pressure. This pathway may also result in improved insulin sensitivity.But before you start stocking up in the candy aisle there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The positive effects

• are only found in dark chocolate, not milk or white chocolate
• are lost if you drink milk with your dark chocolate
• are realized with just 30 calories a day of dark chocolate (about the size of a Hershey's Kiss). Gorging yourself on dark chocolate won't increase the benefits and the increase in calories could result in a weight gain.
• have only been tested on 'healthy' adults, not people with high blood pressure or diabetes

So this February celebrate Valentine's Day and American Heart Month when you get that heart-shaped box of dark chocolate..