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“We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the good ones and the bad ones,” Maria Moore, an undergraduate student and one of the study authors, said in a news release.

“The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate,” Moore added. “When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory.”

Study leader John Finley, a professor in LSU’s department of food science, said, “When these compounds are absorbed by the body, they lessen the inflammation of cardiovascular tissue, reducing the long-term risk of stroke.”

Finley said he believes this is the first study of its kind to study dark chocolate’s effects on different types of bacteria in the stomach.

The researchers found that people who eat dark chocolate with solid fruits such as pomegranates and acai can gain even greater health benefits.

Piece after piece of research has been piling up of late regarding how much of even mental health starts in digestive bacteria. Now, it appears that even arterial health is under the same heading.

Just in case you needed one more excuse to eat chocolate…