The skinny on chocolate

Here's a sweet surprise for chocoholics: A new study finds that people who eat chocolate regularly are somewhat skinnier than folks who don't indulge their sweet tooth. The findings don't prove that chowing down on chocolate will melt off your excess pounds. But for now, study lead author Dr. Beatrice Golomb of University of California, San Diego, said the findings "reduce any possible guilt that might come with chocolate consumption." She said she hopes to better understand what's going on through future research.

Eat popcorn, hold the butter

For another healthy snack, pass the popcorn. A new study says the whole-grain treat contains more of the "good for you" antioxidants called polyphenols than some fruits or vegetables. The amount of polyphenols in popcorn was up to 300 milligrams (mg) per serving compared with 114 mg per serving of sweet corn and 160 mg per serving for all fruits, according to a study from the University of Scranton. This is because polyphenols are diluted in the 90 percent water that makes up many fruits and vegetables, whereas they are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages only about 4 percent water, the study authors said. In the average U.S. diet, fruits provide 255 mg of polyphenols per day and vegetables provide 218 mg per day. One serving of popcorn would provide 13 percent of the average daily intake of polyphenols per person in the United States. But, warns the study, adding butter, salt and other calorie-laden flavorings can turn this snack into a bucketful of trouble.