Chocolate lovers will be glad to hear that news about the health benefits of regularly eating flavanol-rich cocoa just keeps coming.

The Journal of Neuroscience has published a study indicating that the regular consumption of flavanols found in rich, dark chocolate, " improves spatial memory retention in adult mammals." This new research also shows that the regular consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa can lead to improved blood flow in menopausal women with elevated cholesterol, as well as an increase in blood flow in the brain.

The naturally occurring compounds in cocoa can lead to a range of circulatory health benefits including brain and cardiovascular blood flow improvements, according to research published last year in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology. Previous studies demonstrated that the consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa can improve blood vessel function and reduce the formation of damaging clots.

We didn't really need the latest encouragement, but we intend to be more vigilant than ever in making sure we eat genuine dark chocolate on a regular basis!

If you'd like to order some gourmet chocolate from Theo's that is organic, single origin, fair trade, and has an 84% cocoa content, go to: Organic Chocolate from Ghana's Cacao