Is life longer with a box of chocolates?

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and accounts for almost 70 000 deaths annually in the UK alone.1 The modifiable lifestyle risk factors contributing to coronary heart disease have been extensively researched and they include poor dietary choices, physical inactivity and smoking. In contrast to the often recommended heart healthy diet, it has perhaps been both a surprise and a delight to many that recent research has suggested that chocolate in both its milky and dark disguises may have a protective effect against coronary artery disease.2,3