Scientists at the University of Helsinki, who asked 300 pregnant women to record their chocolate consumption and stress levels, found that daily treats had a positive impact on the newborn baby’s behavior.

Six months after the infants were born the mothers who had eaten chocolate reported more smiling and laughter in their offspring.

“And the babies of stressed women who had regularly consumed chocolate showed less fear of new situations than babies of stressed women who had abstained,” New Scientist magazine said Tuesday.

Katri Raikkanen and colleagues who conducted the research admitted they could not be certain that chocolate consumption and the babies’ behavior were not linked with other factors.

(Agencies  April 12, 2004)