Chocolate improves mood, helps memory and is also good for the heart. In addition, if taken in measured quantities, it is a valuable ally against cancer: a study conducted by an Italian research group shows this. "It has been proved, on a population of almost 11 thousand subjects, that the consumption of around 20 grams of chocolate dark every two days is able to reduce inflammation levels circulating ", explains Antonio Moschetta, Airc scientist at the University of Bari. If we consider the relationship between inflammation and cancer," a moderate consumption of dark chocolate with a low sugar content could therefore represent a further possibility to reduce the role of the systemic inflammation in aggression and tumor growth ".
It is also for this reason that dark chocolate was once again chosen by Airc to promote his Research Days.

THE Research Chocolates

Tomorrow (Saturday 9 November) Foundation volunteers will be present in more than a thousand squares from all over Italy (find the square closest to your home or call the special number 840 001 001) to distribute the Research Chocolates and collect new resources to be allocated to around 5 thousand researchers working to overcome cancer. With a minimum donation of 10 euros you can receive a packet of 200 grams of dark chocolate and, together with the chocolates, a special guide will also be distributed that contains useful information on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. From Monday the distribution of chocolates will continue at 1,728 Banco Bpm branches, institutional partner of Research Days, present throughout the territory.

Cancer remains a worldwide emergency: estimates say that only in Italy, in 2019, will the number of newly diagnosed cases come to 371 thousand, more than a thousand a day. Italian researchers are working to be able to influence these data and make cancer more and more treatable, leading to increasingly early diagnosis and more effective and targeted treatments.

The good news is that their work is bearing exemplary results: Italy is an international excellence in the field of cancer research and the number of healings is the highest from all over Europe. Five-year survival has increased, both for men (from 51 to 54%) and for women (from 60% to 63%), compared to the previous five-year period. And today, in Italy, there are almost 3.5 million people who have passed the diagnosis of cancer and who often have a life expectancy comparable to that of those who never got sick (The numbers of cancer in Italy, 2019 by Airtum, Aiom and Passi). The researchers are doing their best: today it's up to us to support their work.