By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecitizennews.com

It's about time that the secret be told. Chocolate is good for you!

I've always believed it was true, but now there are actual medical and dietary studies providing evidence that consuming chocolate can actually prolong your life.

May I live to be 100, and die with Godiva melting in my palm.

According to this researcher named Harold Schmitz, chocolate can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by 30 percent. Amazing. It can also lower your cholesterol levels!

Keep in mind that cheap check-out rack chocolate comes up short in the measurable nutrients found in the more expensive Belgium or Swiss chocolate. Like the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and in this case, it's serotonin and dopamine for mood enhancement, phenols and antioxidants to combat cholesterol, and theobromine for energy.

Even sniffing chocolate can improve your state of mind. Suddenly I can see women around the world waving tiny silver vials of cocoa under their nostrils, hiding their stashes of Lindt in the lettuce keeper and hosting chocolate home parties.

The time has come for chocolate to become a daily staple in our diets. And what better time to discover this decadent news but right after Valentine's Day when all the candy is 50 percent off.

Chocoholics, be proud. Go to the store and buy the best. Not only will your spirits soar, your health will benefit and best of all, you can do it without guilt.

It has also been reported that an occasional glass of wine is also good for what potentially ails you. So wash down that nutrient-rich chocolate with a nice glass of Burgundy and celebrate; the announcement that exercise is hazardous to your health is forthcoming.

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