An extensive study by German nutritionists has produced results many chocoholics have been dreaming of for years.
They monitored more than 19,000 people and their chocolate consumption over a decade, finding those who ate the most got the greatest benefit.
The experts found eating 7.5 grams of dark chocolate could reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 39% and could also lead to lower blood pressure.
"Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food, such as snacks, in order to keep body weight stable," said Brian Buijsse, leader of the study.
As always though there is a catch - the most expensive, purest chocolate is the best for you. The nutritionists found dark chocolate produced the best results when it contains at least 70% cocoa.
June Davidson from the British Heart Foundation also cautioned the amount identified in the study did not offer the chance to pig out.
"With it being Easter, chocolate lovers could get very excited about this report, but you really do need to read the small print about this study and it's perhaps not as good as it seems.
"The amounts of chocolate were very small - only seven grams - and that's about a square a day or about half a small easter egg spread over a whole week, so we are talking about very, very small amounts of chocolate."
"The amounts of chocolate were very small - only seven grams - and that's about a square a day or about half a small easter egg spread over a whole week, so we are talking about very, very small amounts of chocolate."
