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Now you may have a bar of sweet sins, absolutely guilt free, as scientists give us yet another reason to indulge in its taste. In fact, according to a latest research, dark chocolate can benefit those at high risks of heart attacks and strokes.

Although it was previously known that chocolate can help cut down the risk of diabetes and protect people from high blood pressure, the latest research, published on bmj.com, throws some more light on the wonders of the dark delight.

For the study conducted by a team of researchers from universities in Melbourne, Australia, a mathematical model was used in order to predict the effects and cost-effectiveness of daily dark chocolate consumption in 2,013 individuals at high risk of heart disease over a decade.

All the participants had problems including high blood pressure, obesity, high levels of fat in blood, and also instable sugar levels. None of the participants, however, had either a history of heart disease, nor were they on medication for blood pressure or diabetes.

The results of the study showed that consuming 100g of dark chocolate everyday over a span of 10 years could prevent 70 non-fatal and 50 fatal cardiovascular events.

This method, costing £25 a year per head of population, could be useful and cost-effective, too, say researchers.

The effective properties are shown in dark chocolate, made up of around 70% cocoa, which is rich in flavonoids and known to have properties that protect the heart. No such effects are seen in milk or white chocolate.