Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
Read more health news
Moderate drinking may not help heart much
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Dec 2, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- The benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may be outweighed by the harms, according to New Zealand researchers.
Many studies dating back more than 25 years suggest a 20-percent to 25-percent reduction in heart disease risk linked to light drinking, reported the BBC Friday.
However, lead researcher Dr. Rod Jackson, of the University of Auckland, said any coronary protection from light-to-moderate drinking would be very small and unlikely to outweigh the harms.
"If so, the public health message is clear. Do not assume there is a window in which the health benefits of alcohol are greater than the harms -- there is probably no free lunch," said Jackson.
The way the studies were carried out did not allow for researchers to say with certainty that the findings might have been due to other factors.
The findings are published in The Lancet.
URL: www.upi.com