Licence to indulge? - Chocolate vindicated

Though it would be wonderful if Ireland could write off its bank debts, it is unlikely that the announcement of any such deal would be greeted as enthusiastically as yesterday’s news that chocolate is good for you.

American researchers — who else? — have concluded that a chocolate habit can help keep you slim. It may just be that these findings, like so many others about diet and its wobbly consequences, are used as an excuse for overindulgence by those of us whose lack of self-discipline would be worthy of attention by American or any other researchers.

The findings, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, come in time for Easter and may go some way to taking the guilt out of one of the year’s most pleasurable treats.