While that may be all well and good for those suffering a coughing fit, what about chocolate's protective benefits? A study by the University of California (San Francisco) found that dark chocolate may protect the heart. The flavonoid-rich treat improved blood vessels' ability to dilate. Other good news for dark chocolate came from Athens Medical School (Athens, Greece), where a study found that consumption of the treat decreased artery stiffness and improved endothelial function.
All of which must have come as welcome news at Masterfoods (Hackettstown, N.J.). The chocolate giant launched Cocoa Via Crunch Bars and Chocolate Chews in 2003, both made from cocoa plant extracts proven to reduce cholesterol. While the U.S. did not see a new Cocoa Via product in 2004, U.K. consumers saw the name surface in a re-branding of the company's Positively Healthy cocoa drink. Re-christened Cocoa Via, the sterilized cocoa beverage is made with Cocoapro cocoa. Cocoapro is described as the company's promise that their cocoa beans have been handled carefully to preserve more of their natural goodness.