( Information taken from 26 Reason you should eat chocolate by Jyl Stenback, senior editor for Looking Good Now Magazine, Feb. 2006)

1. Chocolate is abundant in antioxidants ( catechins and phenols) that may help prevent heart disease and cancer.
2. Cocoa Powder is virtually fat-free. Need we say more!
3. Men who eat chocolate live longer than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard University found that men who eat chocolate a few times a month live significantly longer than those who rarely eat chocolate.
4. Chocolate does not cause acne! Acne is caused by hormones and genetic predisposition, not by the foods you eat.
5. Chocolate does not promote tooth decay. There may be antibacterial agents in chocolate products that inhibit plaque formation and slow down the tooth-decaying process.
6. Chocolate makes you feel good. Chocolate contains substances that act as natural opiates, dulling pain and incresing our feeling of well-being. Chocolate releases endorphins that make you feel happy.
7. Chocolate will not clot your arteries. Stearic acid, the primary fatty acid in chocolate, does not increase the blood cholestrol level the same way other types of saturated fats do.
8. Chocolate craving during PMS may be associated with the desire to supplement low levels of magnesium and copper both found in chocolate.
9. Indulge in the best. Darker is better. Dark chocolate provides the most antioxidants and stearic acid, followed by milk chocolate. White chocolate does not have any antioxidant properites; it is made from cocoa butter, not beans.
10. Chocolate is not addictive! Ranked as the single most craved food in the United States, people love the taste, scent, and texture of chocolate, but it is not addictive.