Valentine's chocolate: good or bad?

Valentine's Day brings out the chocolate lover in us all. Yet, should we really indulge?

"Of course we should," declares Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. "Chocolate, or the cocoa bean from which it's made, has antioxidant properties in it similar to those found in red wines, grapes, tea, onions, and apples. These may reduce the risk of cancer of heart disease."

Is that a green light to devour an entire box of chocolates? "In studies that have looked at chocolate in regard to the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels, cocoa butter was shown to have a neutral effect on total cholesterol levels and the LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol that clogs the arteries)," Sandon points out. "However, chocolate does increase triglyceride levels and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol levels. So, it is really a Catch-22. Chocolate could be good; it could be bad."

Cocoa alone contains little fat or cholesterol. However, start blending it with milk to create that sinful "milk chocolate" flavor, and the fat and cholesterol content increase.

How about calories? Dark chocolate is lower in calories than milk chocolate. "My advice is that it's always okay to have some chocolate --realizing there mayor may not be any health benefits," concludes Sandon. "Like anything good, it should be eaten in moderation."

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