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For all my fellow chocoholics out there, some good news has emerged: According to the new study by Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (www.yalegriffinprc.org), dark chocolate has a positive impact on blood pressure and blood vessel function. The study used Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate, a rich dark chocolate featuring 60 percent cacao. The product has also earned health and fitness expert Bob Greene's Best Life seal (TheBestLife.com), the first chocolate bar to earn that distinction, as a sensible option for people looking for small indulgences.

The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center study is the largest study of its kind to research the short-term benefits of solid dark chocolate and cocoa-containing beverages on blood pressure and endothelial function (blood vessel function). The results of the study, recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (www.ajcn.org), found that consuming Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate (75g) as well as Hershey's Natural Cocoa (22g) lowered blood pressure and improved endothelial function in 45 participants two hours after consumption. That's exciting news because the results show that dark chocolate not only is good for the taste buds but also has health-promoting properties.

Now, this doesn't give us the option of eating an entire store aisle of dark chocolate, neither does it limit our choco-craving to Hershey's as much as the company would appreciate it. The key words here are "small indulgences." According to the chocolate bar's Web site, www.hersheys.com/extra-dark/home.asp, a serving size is three blocks of the bar, or 37 grams.

Earlier studies have shown the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate. Again from the Hershey's Web site, the flavanol antioxidant capacity of one serving is equivalent to two four-ounce glasses of red wine, one and a third cups of blueberries and three cups of tea.

Information on the Web site explains that antioxidants are compounds that help neutralize free radicals and protect your body against their destructive effects, while flavanol antioxidants occur naturally in some plant-based foods, such as tea, grapes, blueberries, cranberries and cocoa beans. Cocoa beans are the base ingredient of all chocolate products. On a gram for gram basis, cocoa (ground cocoa beans from which some of the cocoa butter has been removed) is one of the most concentrated natural sources of flavanols. For more information, click on "about antioxidants" when you visit the Web site.

In other words, dark chocolate is good to eat and good for the body, when taken in moderation.

I wonder, should we be buying up dark chocolate just in case the manufacturers decide to go into the pharmaceutical business? I can just imagine it now. We'll be shopping around for health insurance based on the chocolate co-pay. The government will regulate its use. Rather than it being sold in the candy aisle of the supermarket, we'll have to have a prescription, or score it from some shady character in a "dark chocolate" alley.

Hopefully that day will never come. But if it does -- well, until then, I plan to savor every delicious, healthy bite.

Linda Albert is Women's Times editor and a staff writer for The Daily Times. Her column runs every Sunday in the Women's Times section. You may contact her at 981-1168 or e-mail linda.albert@thedailytimes.com.