 
growing body of research has touted chocolate as the latest "nutraceutical". Packed with high quality polyphenol antioxidants (also found in fruits, vegetables and red wine) chocolate may slow the process of aging and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao tree, and like other fruits, it is rich in beneficial compounds including antioxidants. Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals that cause damage to cells, triggering many diseases. Research has shown that chocolate is a particularly rich source of polyphenols, in fact, the quality and quantity in dark chocolate is high relative even to tea and red wine. A 1.5-ounce bar of chocolate typically contains about the same level of phenolics as a 5-ounce serving of red wine. The darker the chocolate, the more pronounced its antioxidant levels.
Recent studies have also identified chocolate's positive effects on the following:
- Increased consumption has been shown to increase "good" HDL cholesterol, associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. It has also been shown to prevent fat-like substances from forming and clogging arteries.
- Chocolate acts similarly to low doses of aspirin, encouraging healthy blood flow and reducing the risk of stroke.
- Japanese scientists have disproved the old wives tale that chocolate causes cavities, in fact, they found that antibacterial agents in the cacao bean help stop tooth decay.
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