How chocolate can help you fight a cold

Has a cold got you down? Well, here's some news that might make you feel a bit better: Researchers in the U.K. found that chocolate may be a natural cough suppressant.

After looking at 300 patients that had chronic coughs, scientists at the Hull Cough Clinic discovered that 60 percent of them stopped hacking when they were given theobromine, a substance that's found in cocoa. These findings fit with a recent study performed by London's National Heart and Lung Institute, which showed that theobromine is actually a more effective than codeine, the common ingredient in cough medicine.


Related: Reasons why chocolate is healthy


According to the study, patients were given 1,000 mg of theobromine, which equals about two ounces of unsweetened dark chocolate (or 16 ounces of milk chocolate).

There's no word on whether or not eating chocolate (and not just having theobromine) can preemptively stave off a cough, but we'd like to think that having a hunk or two-you know, just in case-can't hurt.

So, we're going to advocate partaking in that two-pound box of chocolates making the rounds at work. For your health, of course.


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