10 convincing health reasons you should eat more chocolate: from lowering your risk of depression to helping you lose weight

In times of stress, times of sadness, times of celebration, happiness, boredom, Friday night, any night – many of us turn to chocolate to put a smile on our faces. And now it's been proven by science, with a new study revealing that eating dark chocolate can lower your risk of depression four-fold.

That's right, chocolate is healthy (within reason; the darker the better). Research from University College London, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services Canada found that of the 13,000 people they surveyed, only 1.5 per cent of chocolate eaters reported depressive symptoms, compared to the 7.6 per cent of non-chocolate eaters.

Furthermore, it was found that individuals who reported eating any dark chocolate in two 24-hour periods had 70 per cent lower odds of reporting clinically relevant depressive symptoms in the previous two weeks than those who reported not eating chocolate at all.

And this isn't the only benefit of chocolate. Research is continuing all the time, with experts already reporting back that chocolate is good for the heart, circulation and brain, and it has been suggested that it may be beneficial in such major heath challenges as autism, obesity and  diabetes (yes, diabetes – who would have thought?).

Though we wouldn't condone ripping open the bar of Dairy Milk in the cupboard and scoffing the lot, it's always nice to know that a little square of good-quality dark choccy here and there not only lifts our mood, but has a range of other medicinal benefits, too. Here are 10 more scientifically established health benefits of good chocolate.

1. It's good for the heart and circulation

A study from 2014 found that dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels - both common causes of artery clogging.

2. It reduces risk of stroke

Researchers in Finland have found that chocolate consumption lowers the risk of suffering a stroke - by a staggering 17 per cent average in the group of men they tested.

3. It's mineral rich

Dark chocolate is packed with beneficial minerals such as potassium, zinc and selenium, and a 100g bar of dark (70 per cent or more) chocolate provides 67 per cent of the RDA of iron.

4. It reduces cholesterol

Consumption of cocoa has been shown to reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raise levels of “good” cholesterol, potentially lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

5. It's good for your skin

The flavonols in dark chocolate can protect the skin against sun damage (though you'd probably better still slap on some sun cream).

6. It can help you lose weight

Chocolate can help you lose weight. Really. Neuroscientist Will Clower says a small square of good choc melted on the tongue 20 minutes before a meal triggers the hormones in the brain that say “I’m full”, cutting the amount of food you subsequently consume. Finishing a meal with the same small trigger could reduce subsequent snacking.

7. It's good for mothers and babies

A Finnish study found that chocolate reduced stress in expectant mothers, and that the babies of such mothers smiled more often than the offspring of non-chocolate-eating parents.

8. It may prevent diabetes

It sounds mad, but cocoa has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. So dark chocolate – in moderation – might delay or prevent the onset of diabetes.

9. Chocolate is good for the brain

Flavanols are thought to reduce memory loss in older people, and the anti-inflamatory qualities of dark chocolate have been found beneficial in treating brain injuries such as concussion.

10. Chocolate makes you feel better

Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which is the same chemical that your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love. PEA encourages your brain to release feel-good endorphins.

As a chocolate lover I would also add that certain kinds of chocolate can be good for the soul: this is chocolate for which the raw materials have been grown with care by farmers who are properly rewarded for their work; then processed by people who take time and care in their work, and finished by chocolatiers who love what they do. It will not be mass-produced, and it may not be cheap. But it will be good for you, heart and soul.