Chocolate and Stroke Risk

Consuming one serving of chocolate every week may reduce stroke risk.
USA Today (2/12, Marcus) reports, "A new analysis, which involved a review of three prior studies, suggests eating about a bar of chocolate a week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke." Researchers in Canada explained that "one study they looked at found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate," while another showed that "1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke."
The third study, however, "found no association between chocolate consumption and risk of death from stroke," WebMD (2/11, Warner) reported. Nevertheless, investigators say "more research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others." Moreover, the study participants "did not identify what kind of chocolate they had eaten," the Canadian Press (2/11, Tobin) reported. HealthDay (2/11, Dotinga) also covered the study.