By Karen Stephenson

February is Heart and Stroke Month and what better way to get your heart healthy than be eating chocolates! Yes, believe it or not, consuming dark chocolate is good for your heart.

The Cocoa Bean

Cacao trees grow in equatorial regions around the globe. These trees produce a fruit about the size of a small pineapple and inside the fruit are the tree's seeds which are known as cocoa beans. Cocoa beans are generally fermented for one week, then dried in the sun and from there, shipped to chocolate makers worldwide.

Not All Chocolates Are Created Equal

Before running out and buying just any chocolate bar, you should know that only some chocolate holds the goodness that your heart enjoys. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants, nearly eight times the number found in strawberries. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals which can cause damage that may lead to heart disease. Flavonoids contained in dark chocolate help to relax blood pressure by producing nitric oxide which balances certain hormones in the body.

Benefits of Eating Dark Chocolate

Your heart benefits from dark chocolate and eating a small bar every day is a tasty fuel to keep the heart and cardiovascular system running well.

There are numerous studies that show consuming a small bar of dark chocolate every day can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. Also, this tasty treat has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by as much as 10%.

Other than heart benefits, chocolate has been proven to stimulate endorphin production which creates a feeling of pleasure. Dark chocolate also contains theobromine and caffeine which are natural stimulants.

The cocoa bean shell is a good source of insoluble fibre. Researchers at the University of Toronto tested finely-ground cocoa bran on twenty-five men and women for two weeks. They discovered that the bulk of their fecal matter increased to the levels that equal consumption of wheat bran. All the participants experienced a rise in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) by 7.6%. Psyllium seed and oat bran are the only other fibres that increase bulk and have a positive impact on health.

Eat Your Depression Away

Cacao beans contain many substances that work together to be nature's anti-depressant. These magic beans contain three neurotransmitters that are associated with promoting a positive mental state. The neurotransmitters are: serotonin, dopamine and phenylethylamine (PEA).

The phenylethylamine found in cacao beans affects brain chemistry in an intriguingly positive way. To say you love chocolate may not be too far off, since PEA produces a brain chemistry that's similar to that associated with falling in love.

In addition to containing mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, cacao beans contain the amino acid tryptophan and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. MAO inhibitors allow the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine to circulate in the bloodstream longer, and it is this that may help alleviate depression and promote feelings of well being. Pharmaceuticals have used MAO inhibitors for a long time in their anti-depressant medications. Tryptophan plays a very important role in the production of serotonin within the body.

Isn't Chocolate Loaded with Fat?

The answer is one you'll want to hear. The fats in chocolate are one-third oleic acid, one-third stearic acid and one third palmitric acid. Oleic acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil. Stearic acid is a saturated fat but one which research shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol. And last but not least, palitric acid is also a saturated fat, but one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

No matter which way you look at it, chocolate is still a high calorie food that contains some "bad" fat. Most of the studies done state that no more than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) a day should be consumed and you'll still get all the benefits. Remember though, be careful what you eat in a day because most bars of dark chocolate contain about 400 calories. Always eat dark chocolate when going after the health benefits. Milk or white chocolate can not make any health claims but dark chocolate has 65% or higher cocoa content. Eating pure chocolate is best. Anything added into that chocolate is added sugar, calories and fat.

One other tip to remember is no matter how good a glass of milk tastes along with eating chocolate, some research indicates that the milk may be preventing the antioxidants from being absorbed or used by your body.

Like so many other things in life, eating chocolate in moderation is recommended.

Heart and Stroke Month

Remember, February is Heart and Stroke Month. Do not rely on chocolate to keep your heart healthy. The human body is complex and it takes a lot of things to keep it running in good order. Keeping your heart in great shape takes exercise, a good healthy diet and maintaining an ideal weight. For more information about Heart and Stroke Month or how to avoid heart disease and stroke, visit The Heart and Stroke Foundation..