A new study from Italy's University of L'Aquila, published in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is consistent with previous research suggesting that naturally occurring flavanol compounds found in certain cocoa and chocolates may provide heart health benefits.
Yet, not all chocolate is created equal. In many cases, the science is often translated to say all dark chocolate contains these potentially heart-healthy compounds. In fact, the processing of the chocolate has the greatest impact on the presence of the flavanol compounds in the finished chocolate.