Do you like your chocolate even with all the guilt that comes with it? According to the latest scientific findings you don’t have to curb your sweet tooth anymore – provided you go for dark chocolate with a high concentration of cocoa and little or no sugar. The reason for that is the cocoa bean which is exceedingly rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are anti-oxidants which protect the body from oxidative damage and have a strong inhibitory effect on inflammations. They are also said to prevent cancer, allergies and cardiovascular diseases.

Now scientists found out, that cocoa contains more of the flavonoid epicatechin than red wine or even green tea, two of the sources most identified with anti-oxidants. It is especially the ability to inhibit inflammations that makes dark chocolate a viable co-factor in the fight against arthritis, which causes painful inflammation around the joints.

Before you start indulging in chocolate-based sweets, here’s some advice. First of all: less is more. 25 to 40 grams of dark chocolate a day is good for you, if you don’t mix it with milk. For milk interferes with the body’s ability to absorb anti-oxidants. Therefore, avoid milk chocolate and go for the dark variant instead. If you’re into variety try out gourmet bars containing red pepper, chilli or ginger. Or have your chocolate the traditional Aztec way: cocoa powder mixed with water and spicy chilli.