Chocolate Cheer

Feeling guilty for eating the ears off your child’s chocolate Easter bunny or maybe you devoured the whole critter while no one was looking? If you’re pregnant – or even if you’re not – don’t worry about it.

A recent study in New Scientist magazine found that Finnish women who ate chocolate had happier babies. Six months after their babies were born, women who regularly ate chocolate reported that their children smiled and laughed a lot and were more active. The results were most striking for women who reported a high level of stress. The stressed women who ate chocolate were more likely to say their babies were less fearful in new situations.

The researchers speculated that chemicals found in chocolate passed from mother to baby in the womb. Britain’s top chocolate manufacturer, Cadbury, however, was skeptical. A company spokesman said the chemical in chocolate that boosts people’s moods, phenylethylamine, is found in higher quantities in tomatoes and fruit than chocolate.

No matter, chocolate has other health benefits.

An article last year in the journal Natural Health included eating chocolate among the five tips for improving your memory. But, it warned, you must choose the right kind – the darker the better. Look for varieties made with at least 60 percent cocoa. Researchers believe that compounds in dark chocolate called procyanidins counteract oxidation and inflammation, two conditions that age the brain. Some scientists think procyanidins also improve memory by increasing blood circulation so your brain gets more oxygen and nutrients, according to the article.

The perfect excuse to splurge on Belgian chocolates.

A Harvard School of Public Health study found that young men who ate candy, including chocolate, one to three times a month lived longer, on average, than their non-consuming peers. The antioxidant phenol may be responsible for the increased longevity of candy consumers, the Harvard researchers said. They also wrote that cacao, from which chocolate is made, can enhance immune function, leading to a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer.

Of course, chocolate can make you fat and lead to tooth decay, so moderation is in order.

“If you balance your candy eating with appropriate amounts of exercise, then candy may not be all bad,” said I-Min Lee, assistant professor in Harvard’s Department of Epidemiology.

So eat the ears, but save the bunny body for later.