Nibble This Dark Treat for a Healthy, Happy Stomach

If you've got a soft spot for chocolate, give yourself a little pat on the tummy. Turns out the antioxidants in chocolate may be good for your gut.

In a new study, drinking antioxidant-rich cocoa daily increased the levels of protective gut bacteria in people's stomachs.

Good Gut Findings
This new research will need further confirmation from other independent studies, especially because it was backed partly by chocolate makers. But the results do shed interesting light on some new potential health benefits of chocolate. In the study, a small group of participants drank a cocoa-flavored beverage high in flavanols every day for 4 weeks. Then, after a few weeks' break, they followed the same regimen using cocoa much lower in flavanols. And researchers found that the high-flavanol cocoa had kicked up people's levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium -- two beneficial types of gut bacteria that help slow the growth of disease-causing bacteria and organisms. Bifidobacteria may also help with vitamin synthesis and have cholesterol-improving powers. (Related: Find out how dark chocolate can help make you smarter, too.)

More Beneficial Bits
Not only did the chocolate ritual seem to be good for people's guts, but it also appeared to reduce blood levels of inflammatory compounds called C-reactive proteins. And the study participants' cholesterol levels took a little dip after each drink trial as well. It all points to the wonderful health-promoting powers of flavanols, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits in many other studies. But still, no matter how wonderful chocolate may sound, remember to enjoy it in moderation. You won't do your waistline any favors if you overindulge. But a nibble now and then -- every day even -- is perfectly reasonable, as long as you're eating dark chocolate. Look for at least 70-percent cacao on the label. (Related: Find out what vitamin can reduce C-reactive protein.)

Here's another sweet way to help foster the right balance of good and bad gut bacteria.