When Nelson Mandela said "a good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination," he was talking about empathy and wisdom's combined powers to contend with the difficulties one encounters in life.

But we don't think he would have minded that we're applying it to heart health as well.

If you learn the facts about heart health (a good head) and then apply them to your ticker, you'll end up with a good heart. And it might surprise you to learn that you can enjoy what you learn.

Take the most recent study from the Cleveland Clinic and other centers that looked at chocolate-eating and heart health.

It found that people who ate chocolate once a week had a lower risk of coronary artery disease compared to people who rarely or never ate chocolate.

But you don't want to overdo it — chocolate has sugar and fat that can contribute to health challenges.

A 2018 study presented in the 2018 European Society of Cardiology meeting found that while having a moderate amount of chocolate (one to three servings a month) reduced the risk of heart failure by 23%, having over a serving a day (way more than the Cleveland Clinic study) caused a 17% increase in the risk of heart failure.

Our advice is to indulge yourself in no more than an ounce of dark chocolate (studies show it offers the most benefits and fewest risks) every so often.