Damn....

Science picks through the chocolate nuggets
Studies have shown benefits from compounds in cocoa, but they remain unproved, and many of the studies have ties to chocolate makers.

By Elena Conis,
Special to the Los Angeles Times
May 31, 2010

It's every sweet tooth's dream. A steady stream of studies has linked chocolate to a variety of health benefits, including decreased blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease, even effects on mood.

But the evidence, all of it, is preliminary.

"I love chocolate as much as the next person, but it's candy, not a health food," says Marion Nestle (no relation to the famous candy maker), professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.

Evidence linking consumption of chocolate — or, more specifically, cocoa — to better health first emerged more than 10 years ago from studies of the Kuna people, natives of the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama.

(Original here.)