London- A study conducted in Denmark has said eating small portions of chocolate each week may reduce risks of a common and dangerous disorder in heartbeats.

Researchers found that compared with people who ate chocolate less than once a month, the risk of atrial fibrillation was 10 percent lower among those who ate one to three servings a month.

Lead author Elizabeth Mostofsky from the Harvard School of Public Health said: “Eating chocolate moderately is a healthy choice for snacks in a healthy diet.”

However, the study did not confirm that chocolate intake was the reason behind the prevention of atrial fibrillation.

The study authors wrote in the journal Heart that cocoa and cocoa-containing foods can benefit the heart. That’s because they contain high levels of flavanols, which may improve blood vessel function.

They added that prior research has suggested that eating chocolate, especially the dark kind which contains bigger quantities of flavanols, was linked to better standards in the heart’s health, and lowered the risk of heart attacks. However, studies targeting the link between chocolate and lower atrial fibrillation are few.

According to the American Heart Association, 2.7 million people in the United States suffer from atrial fibrillation, which raises risks of blood clotting, heart attacks, heart failure, and many other complications.