In a review of three recent research studies, two appeared to show that eating a little chocolate each week helps reduce stroke risk. The third study showed no relationship.

Regular readers know the drill. Confounding factors.

We don’t know what might be different about people who eat chocolate, especially dark chocolate, which is known to have other health benefits when eaten in moderation.

These people could be eating a small amount of chocolate weekly and also doing something else (the we-don’t-know-what-we-don’t know problem). That “something else” could be what brings the stroke risk down, rather than the chocolate.

Got that?

Don’t you love confounding factors? Probably almost as much as you love chocolate, right?

WebMD

“Feb. 11, 2010 — As if people need another reason to love chocolate, here it is: Eating a little bit of chocolate each week may not only lower the risk of having a stroke, it may also decrease the odds of dying from one.

“A new review of recent research on chocolate and stroke risk found at least two large studies are suggestive of the health benefits of chocolate in lowering the risk of stroke. The results will be presented in April at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Toronto.”

Source: WebMD, February 11, 2010

Source: Presentation, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, scheduled for April, 2010