Not only does dark chocolate have health benefits, the better it is the less chance of overindulgence. You heard that right.

"The more pleasure at the first bite, the less you are going to eat," said Dr. Jordan LeBel, an expert on the physiological effects of chocolate. Dr. LeBel whose current job is Associate Professor in Food and Beverage Management at Cornell University, was recently on a cross Canada tour promoting France's famous Poulain chocolate. His pitch focused on the best way to savour chocolate.

LeBel did his PhD on people's response to chocolate. Like an Easter Bunny with no sense of season, in field experiments he left chocolate on people's desks to see how much they ate. He also did lab tests where people rated their enjoyment of a particular chocolate measured against how much they ate. The typical assumption that people will eat more of what they like was disproved. No chance of gluttony if the chocolate was really delicious.

He explained most people gorge on chocolate when they are under high stress or just not paying attention. He ran lab studies in which one group was given a puzzle to do while they ate chocolate and another was told to focus on the treat. Those who focussed ate less. Now he's putting his findings into practical use. He recommends that people should buy high quality dark chocolate, slow down and savour it just like a fine wine. Pair it with spirits or hot beverages. Less is really more.