Researchers through a new study have claimed that eating up to 100g of milk chocolate or dark chocolate every day can help lower the heart disease and stroke risk.

The findings of the study published in journal Heart, which is part of the British Medical Journal group, are based on questionnaires filled by almost 21,000 adults that participated in the EPIC- Norfolk study.

The participants were asked questions like how many chocolate squares, bars or hot chocolates they consumed each day.

One in every five person in study responded that they never ate chocolate. Those who admitted to the chocolate eating ate between 7g and 100g a day.

Researchers during the study found that higher levels of chocolate consumption were associated with younger age and lower BMI, waist to hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, inflammatory proteins, diabetes and more regular physical activity, all of which adds to cardiovascular disease risk profile.

Eating chocolate was also associated with a 9% lower risk of hospital admission or death as a result of coronary heart disease, showed study.

Researchers found that the chocolate eaters tended to be younger and had a lower BMI than those who said they did not touch it.

They had lower blood pressure, fewer instances of diabetes, did more exercise and confessed to eating more calories in a diet with more fat and carbohydrates and less protein and alcohol than the rest, they said.

But researchers said there are possibilities that those who are eating least chocolate are those who are being careful because they already know they have a heart problem.

Dr. Tim Chico, a consultant cardiologist in Sheffield, said, “The message I take from this study is that if you are a healthy weight, then eating chocolate (in moderation) does not detectably increase risk of heart disease and may even have some benefit.”