In what might be seen as something too good to be true, researchers have confirmed what many people have suspected and have even hoped for: Chocolate is good for you, despite the popular perception that the foods we love are generally bad for us.

The findings are particularly relevant for protecting older women against heart disease. In a recent study, researchers followed nearly 32,000 women between the ages of 48 and 83 years over the course of 9 years.

What they found was that up to two servings (19 to 30 grams each) of dark chocolate each week was associated with a 32% reduction in the risk for heart failure. The reduction in risk was reduced to nearly a quarter (26%) when one to three servings of chocolate were consumed each month.

Furthermore, the same health benefits were not observed in women who at dark chocolate every day, highlighting the fact that you can indeed get too much of a good thing. Too much chocolate can begin to have adverse health consequences because it does contain sugar and fat, which can lead to unwanted weight gain.

However, chocolate is also rich in compounds known as flavonoids, which are antioxidants that have been linked to lowering blood pressure as well as protecting against heart disease and certain cancers. With this in mind, when it comes to having a sweet treat, dark chocolate might not be a bad choice, though moderate consumption is important to keep in mind.

The quality of the chocolate may be an important factor, as well; cocoa content as well as other ingredients used in the processing may play a role. Higher cocoa content is associated with greater heart benefits. Certain dark chocolates can contain as much as 75% cocoa, versus milk chocolate, which has about 25% cocoa or less. Milk chocolate also contains more fat and sugar.

The current study, published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure, is the first to look at the long term effects of chocolate consumption as it specifically relates to heart failure. Nutritional experts also indicate that the healthful compounds found in chocolate can be found in a variety of fruits vegetables which do not have the extra fat and calories and consequently do not contribute to weight gain like chocolate does.

In terms of its protective effects against heart disease, the quality of the chocolate plays an important role, as does moderation. Heart disease statistics in the United States are some of the worst in the world, affecting over one million people while claiming upwards of half a million lives annually.

If you have questions or concerns about heart disease, talk to you physician. For more information, visit the website for the American Heart Association.