Great news for chocolate lovers: New research published in Chemistry Central Journal claims that chocolate contains more antioxidants (polyphenols and flavanols) than fruit juice.
Great news for chocolate lovers: New research published in Chemistry Central Journal claims that chocolate contains more antioxidants (polyphenols and flavanols) than fruit juice. 
When researchers at the Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition compared antioxidants in dark chocolate to those in fruit juice powder, they found that the chocolate trumped the juice with more antioxidant capacity, and a greater total flavanol content. In the study, cocoa products beat out blueberry and cranberry powder on the antioxidant scale. Cocoa powder, however, fell short of pomegranate juice.
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u00a0"Cacao seeds should be considered a 'superfruit' and products derived from cacao seed extracts, such as natural cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as 'superfoods,'" researchers said.
Other studies have found that antioxidant-rich chocolate may decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease. The US-based National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute analyzed the chocolate habits of almost 5,000 adults. Those who ate chocolate five or more times a week were 60 percent less likely to have heart disease. Plus a German study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that modest chocolate intake had a significant effect on people's blood pressure.
But don't get too excited -- Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Mike Roizen, best-selling authors and celebrity experts, advise that the flavonoid antioxidants in dark chocolate are so powerful that a tiny piece will suffice. "You don't need a whole bar," they say; "a daily piece the size of a Hershey's Kiss can lower your blood pressure."
Take note: the research was conducted by Hershey.
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