You’ve seen the chocolate-is-healthy headlines — and who wouldn’t want to buy into them? Looking for license to eat decadent goodness? Here are some facts on the health benefits of dark chocolate backed by research: nothing funded by chocolate companies and no small, one-off studies without a larger body of research backing them up. Take a look. 1. Improves Heart Health Research in the American Heart Journal found that eating three to six 1-ounce servings of chocolate a week reduces the risk of heart failure by 18%. And another study published in the journal BMJ suggests the treat may help prevent atrial fibrillation (aka a-fib), a condition characterized by irregular heartbeat. People eating two to six servings a week had a 20% lower risk of developing a-fib compared to those consuming it less than once a month. Researchers believe cocoa’s anti oxidant properties and magnesium content may help improve blood …