With news that will be welcomed across the globe, researchers say chocolate may be good for your heart!

After collecting data from nearly 21,000 people over 11 years, scientists in Britain found that people who ate a moderate amount of chocolate regularly were the least likely to deal with heart disease or stroke.

The top fifth of chocolate-eaters were 12 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 23 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared with the bottom fifth of consumers, the researchers found.

The study, published in the British journal "Heart" says chocolate consumption was also linked to lower body mass and exercising slightly more.