Higher cocoa content in the chocolate is associated with greater heart benefits
Older women who eat dark chocolate once or twice a week could be lowering their risk of heart failure, says a US study.
It found those eating chocolate once or twice a week cut the risk of developing heart failure by a third, but those eating it every day did not benefit.
The Boston study, in a journal of the American Heart Association, looked at nearly 32,000 Swedish women aged between 48 and 83 over nine years.
Dieticians say eating chocolate too often can be damaging and unhealthy.
The study notes that one or two 19 to 30 gram servings of dark chocolate a week led to a 32% reduction in heart failure risk.
This fell to 26% when one to three servings a month were eaten.
But those who ate chocolate every day did not appear to reduce their risk of heart failure at all.
The researchers conclude the protective effect of eating chocolate reduces as more or less is eaten than the optimum one to two servings a week.
'Flavanoids'
Too much chocolate is unhealthy because it contains high levels of sugar and fat which can make people put on weight, the researchers say.
But chocolate also contains high concentration of compounds called flavonoids which can lower blood pressure and protect against heart disease, previous studies have found.
The researchers behind this study say this is the first time long-term effects related specifically to heart failure have been shown.
"Whilst antioxidants in chocolate may be helpful to your heart, they can also be found in fruit and veg - foods which don't come with the saturated fat and high calories."
Victoria Taylor
British Heart Foundation
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