Chocolate has already shown itself to have the potential to fight high "bad" cholesterol levels, prevent tooth decay, and even clear up the complexion -- all quite contrary to what one would foresee from a beloved food that is often regarded as being lousy for the skin, teeth, and gut. Now chocolate is showing itself once more to be an unexpected ally in health research.

According to articles in Science Daily, Newsmax, and other sites, a synthetic chemical based on a naturally-occurring compound in cacao beans both slowed the growth of cancerous tumors and accelerated their destruction. Most excitingly, the synthetic chemical in question left normal, healthy cells unharmed.

Although this study was done on the manmade chemical based on the cacao compound, rather than on cocoa itself, the study's lead author had encouraging words to say about chocolate consumption. "We have all heard that eating chocolate is good for you," Min Kim was quoted in several articles as saying; "this study suggest one reason why that might be true."

The study was performed at Georgetown University Medical Center, and is considered only the beginning -- but a very promising beginning -- of the research necessary to confirm the medical benefits of the chemical known as GECGC.

Ordinarily, I feel either skeptical or amused when I hear that research on various possible health properties of chocolate just happen to have been funded by big chocolate companies. And it's true that this study was funded in part by Mars Incorporated.

But this research is so specific and at the same time so promising; and the chemical in question is based on a cacao compound, rather than being chocolate itself. As a friend of mine pointed out, it's not the kind of thing that a candy company could easily fit on a candy bar label. What would they say? "The luscious chocolate coating of this chewy taste treat is a lot like GECGC, which has shown real potential when it comes to fighting colon cancer!"

Hmmm. Maybe not. Probably Mars is just interested in anything related to chocolate's potential health benefits because they're interested in chocolate.

At any rate, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm just going to be happy to know that a serious research scientist was pleased to find that "effective concentrations" of a cacao-like chemical were "similar to what a person might eat or use." Maybe if I talk about "using" my chocolate in pursuit of potential health benefits, rather than just eating it, me and my favorite sweet will get a little more respect.