Mars Suggests Cocoa Is Healthful

Snacking on chocolate needn’t be a guilt trip, a candy maker assures consumers in a Web site that suggests there may be health benefits to eating the treat.

Mars Inc., the Hackettstown, N.J.-based maker of M&M;’s, Snickers and 3 Musketeers, stops short of claiming chocolate is a health food. But it is believed to be the first major chocolate manufacturer to promote research on the possible disease-fighting properties of the plant compounds found in the candy.

The Cocoapro.com Web site said preliminary research suggests that cocoa beans contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.

The Cocoapro logo--a graphic of a hand holding a cocoa bean--will appear on the back of candy bar wrappers beginning this quarter, with the hopes that consumers will turn to the Web site to ease their conscience.

One researcher who has done several studies on chocolate’s health properties said their studies it does have some benefits. “Our work shows that chocolate does have antioxidant effects, which could protect against heart disease, premature aging and possibly cancer,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, a nutrition professor at Penn State University.

The federal Food and Drug Administration has not approved any health claims for chocolate.