A new study in Germany published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association has added to the pile of data regarding the potential health benefits of chocolate. This study focused on chocolate and low blood pressure, and has spurred a flurry of news coverage. The overall conclusion seems to be that a small amount of dark chocolate (around 6 grams, equivalent to somewhere around a square inch of chocolate from a standard size chocolate bar) is enough to make a positive impact. Here's an excerpt from the New York Times:

The new research from Germany adds to mounting evidence linking dark chocolate with health benefits, but it is the first to suggest that so little may suffice.

Volunteers for the study ate just over six grams of dark chocolate a day for almost five months – one square from a German chocolate bar called Ritter Sport, equal to about 1.5 Hershey's Kisses. People who ate that amount ended up with lower blood pressure readings than those who ate white chocolate.

So a (small) piece of chocolate a day may just keep the doctor away... Here's a short round-up of articles I've seen about the study this week:

New York Times - For a short synopsis of the conclusions
US News & World Report - For a more indepth look at the study itself
ABC News - For an even more indepth look + some medical background