Did you eat a lot of chocolate for Easter? It probably tasted great, but do you think it was good for you? If you ate good quality chocolate that contained a lot of cocoa and you didn't eat a lot of it, then maybe.

Researchers in Germany found that people who ate about 7.5 grams of chocolate a day lowered their blood pressure and reduced their risk of heart attack and stroke. They think that chemicals call flavanols, which are found in cocoa, may be the secret. Flavanols help relax the muscles in blood vessels, so they widen. This reduces blood pressure.

But before you run and tell your parents how chocolate is so great for you,  remember that the people in the study were eating small amounts of good quality chocolate. Chocolate is "energy dense." This means it has a lot of calories, so just a little bit goes a long way. If you've had a chocolate egg or two already today, it's probably best to reach for an apple instead.

Your parents may be interested in reading more about this study. They can find a summary here.