Since I was a child, I have been eating M&Ms and hearing that they "melt in your mouth, not in your hand." For the most part, that has been true. Wouldn't having a Snickers that does not melt in your hand be nice, though?

The latest news from Nigeria -- wait a minute, why from Nigeria? Turns out that much of the world's cocoa is produced in Nigeria. I did not know that!

Anyway, the latest news from Nigeria is that researchers there believe they are close to achieving the "holy grail" among chocolate manufacturers: A heat-resistant chocolate that actually tastes like chocolate.

According to an article I read at LiveScience.com, efforts to develop a heat-resistant chocolate have been under way for a long time. The earliest efforts occurred in the middle of World War II.

Apparently, this battle has been raging since. Hershey's Chocolate tested a version of the chocolate during Operation Desert Storm. The troops provided a mixed reaction, however.

Of course, the most interesting news about chocolate came out a few years ago, when a study revealed a chemical in chocolate produces heart-healthy benefits. That research found that epicatechin is linked to improved circulation. The discover was described in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

Turns out study was done on some islanders who live on the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama. According to it, high blood pressure and other signs of heart disease are rare among these people. Why? The researchers concluded because they consume large amounts of flavanol-rich cocoa.

These islanders have twice the level of urinary nitric oxide, which is also associated with healthy blood flow. And those who drank lots of cocoa had higher levels of nitric oxide.

According to the study, tests showed that flavanols allow vascular tissue to relax. Now I know why I feel so relaxed after consuming lots of chocolate -- and stuffed!

So we have found something that actually tastes good and is enjoyable to eat and is good for you -- chocolate. Sunday afternoon it will be Snickers -- and some "healthy" popcorn -- and a NASCAR race.

Thank God for research, because as Forest Gump said when quoting his mother, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."