Researchers say quantity and quality of chocolate are key factors in health benefits. Chocolate may be loaded with calories, but it may also be good for your heart if it’s eaten in moderation and is also of high quality. Researchers in Boston examined data from a 9 year study—the key findings were:

Women who ate an average of 1-2 servings of high quality chocolate per week had a 32% lower risk of developing heart failure.

Women who had 1-3 servings per month had a 26% reduced risk.

Women who ate at least 1 serving daily did not appear to benefit from a protective effect, perhaps due to the additional calories gained from eating chocolate instead of more nutritious foods. You can’t ignore that chocolate is calorie dense and large amounts of habitual consumption will raise your risk for weight gain. But if you are going to treat yourself, dark chocolate is a good choice.

Be aware of U.S. chocolate verses European chocolate. The differences in quality may have implications for Americans. In addition, watch your portions. This is not a” eat all you want” message, rather it’s a message that eating a little dark chocolate can be healthful and anything that helps to decrease heart failure is an important issue worth examining.