Pinch me now. Am I sleeping? Or is this really a chocoholic’s dream come true? Researchers are looking for volunteers to yes, eat candy bars for a year… so they can test the health benefits of chocolate. No joke!

Sign me up please! Okay, so not just any chocoholic can volunteer for this yummy study which starts in June in London. But it really is in the name of science.

Other studies have already shown some of the health benefits of chocolate. This one will recruit 150 menopausal women who have type 2 diabetes to see whether flavonoids in cocoa and other foods can reduce their risk of heart disease. Specifically, if the antioxidants can help reduce blood pressure, cut cholesterol levels and improve the condition of arteries.

Every day for a year, half the women will eat a super-charged bar of chocolate with 30 grams of flavonoids found in soy, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables. The other half will also get chocolate, but without the antioxidants.

The researchers hope their findings will help doctors give patients more personalized advice on the type of foods they should eat and how much they need to reduce their risk of heart disease. If all goes well, the advice will of course be on a variety of foods, not just chocolate… although that would be my choice. If only they could do something about all those calories.

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