Wanted: volunteers to eat chocolate every day for a year in the name of science (UK)

Researchers studying the potential health benefits of dark chocolate at UEA in Norwich, Norfolk, need 40 women to test specially made bars. Participants must be post-menopausal and have type 2 diabetes to help see whether flavonoid compounds in chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease. Some 150 volunteers who took part in the study's first round of tests last year will soon be tested for any health benefits. Dr Peter Curtis, of the UEA's School of Medicine, said: "Our first volunteers are about to return for their final visit to see if the markers of heart health – such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels – have changed. "A successful outcome could be the first step in developing new ways to improve the lives of people at increased risk of heart disease." Researchers believe that chocolate rich in flavonoid plant compounds found in cocoa and soy could help postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes ward off heart disease.