According to a recent study that was published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, cocoa might be beneficial in being able to counteract various types of cognitive decline. Italian researchers sought to investigate what happens to the human brain after someone is on a prolonged diet that consists of acute and chronic administration of cocoa flavanols.
They found that cognitive performance improves with a daily intake of cocoa flavanols.
It's also suggested that it might help to improve memory, provide improved visual information processing, and possibly reverse cognitive impairment from sleep deprivation.
Previous research has also indicated that the antioxidant flavonoids in cocoa flavanols (found in chocolate) can be possibly beneficial for cardiovascular health, improving blood pressure, and more.
Earlier studies, analyzing the effects of cocoa flavanols, have also found that those who consumed medium-to-high amounts of the cocoa flavanols on a daily basis, had shown significant improvement when it came to memory, executive function, and attention. There are multiple studies available which suggest that cocoa flavanols might be greatly beneficial when it comes to improvement cognitive decline.
For the recent study that was released in Frontiers, Italian researchers analyzed the already available scientific literature on the topic in order to assess the effects of cocoa and the potential for it to play a role in cognitive improvement.
The findings of their study add to a notion that is already held by many who believe that taking cocoa on a regular basis is important in the way of trying to improve cognitive functioning or prevent decline. But researchers do note that there are side effects of taking cocoa and chocolate, such as worries over calorie intake and other chemicals and additives that might be in the chocolate.
Dark chocolate is said to have a higher proportion of flavanols, than you would find in common milk chocolate options, that is why many who are looking to reap the benefits of the flavanols will often go for the strong dark chocolate, 70% cocoa and up etc. It's assumed that a higher percentage of cacao or cocoa in the chocoalte, is going to mean a higher amount of the cocoa flavanols.
Because of the growing interest in the dark chocolate, we can see that other popular already well-established brands are also trying to creep into that space and introduce their own dark chocolate, high cocoa options.
Global chocolate sales are said to be slowing down but dark chocolate sales are showing healthy growth and many consumers believe that dark chocolate is a superior and healthier option.
For 2016, it's reported that dark chocolate accounted for about 37 percent of all chocolate sales. And it's estimated that global dark chocolate sales are going to see an increase in sales of about 9 percent every year for the next few years, according to a market research report by Technavio.
Less Sugar...
A growing number of consumers want healthier options for meals and snacks and that means that there is growing demand for sugar-free options. One of the chocolate companies that is looking to come in and meet the need, providing premium sugar-free dark chocolate products is the company TRU chocolate, there are others out there and no doubt many more will come into the space in the future.
They use xylitol to sweeten the products and after spending several years refining and perfecting their product, they've just officially launched in the US this year. They want to make good chocolate options that don't have any sugar and that will fit right in to meet the needs of the millions who are looking to cut down on their sugar.
Market experts say that no matter the economic conditions, bad or good, people like to treat themselves and so we can always expect that people will go to their favorite snack in order to comfort themselves and for many that's a favorite chocolate bar.
As more people become concerned about what they are eating and go looking for better options, we can expect to see them opt for different sweets like those coming into the chocolate space that are made without sugar or made with more cocoa. When more people hear about the positive benefits that can come from cocoa, like the research findings from the recent study in Frontiers, then they will likely opt for the chocolate products that they think they are going to reap more of a benefit from.
Pics:
Pixabay
Healthy eater
Pinterest
TRU Chocolate
BMJ via The Atlantic
The information that is posted above is not intended or implied to ever be used as any substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis or treatment. The above is posted for informational purposes only.
Sources:
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/823208/Chocolate-Alzheimers-Cocoa-boosts-blood-flow-to-the-brain-new-research
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/dark_chocolate.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cocoa-sweet-treat-brain-201502057676
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629101648.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11790962
https://healthyeater.com/dark-chocolate-best-and-worst
https://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/01/low-sugar-is-overtaking-low-fat/422898/
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/07/us-chocolatiers-looking-for-new-sweet-spot.html
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Markets/Dark-chocolate-market-sales-forecasts-Technavio-predictions
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/TRU-Chocolate-spots-market-gap-for-premium-sugar-free-dark-chocolate
https://tru-chocolate.com/buy/
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Good information
Good stuff. I use dark chocolate as a sleeping aid, just a couple of pieces after my evening meal. I've tried everything to get a better sleep and found it's dark choc that works for me. Great!
The caffeine would keep me up.
Yep you would think so, but I suspect the caffeine rush has gone within the hour. The happy feeling lingers it seems, my dreams are less scary, deffo some happy sleep chemicalness going on
Always happy for reasons to eat more chocolate. Thanks for writing this piece :)
Get your dark chocolate everyone, it has amazing anti oxidants to starve off cancer and auto immune disease. Avoid the sugar filled milk chocolates get the dark ones sweetened with xylitol or stevia. However avoid dark chocolate sweetened with aspartame. Thank you @doitvolutarily for your informative post.
I love chocolate so much! But she always scolded herself for it. Now I will eat it with a feeling of complete satisfaction! :)
What better way to stay healthy than eating chocolate :)
I like this kind of research :))
This is pretty cool. I didn't realize the flavanols in dark chocolate were so benificial from a cognitive decline perspective.
However, I'm not a big fan of the xylitol. It's plant based often found in husks. It causes stomach upset/IBS in a lot of people which is why mostly is used in gum because of it anticavity benefits, or in diabetic candies.
I would rather just have the sugar than the stomach upset. All in moderation.
Good post. Thanx!
i use it all the time and have never had any issue with it :)
Wow! Nice stuff @doitvoluntarily ! I am a choco addicted! Loved your post!
more reason to enjoy great dark chocolate!!
Thanks for sharing, great article. I am new on steemit and i like post like this.
you made this
Maybe we should force feed it to the government bureaucracy, because the way in which America is run into the ground somebody's cognition must be in serious decline..
I absolutely love cacao. I actually do feel benefits from it in my morning smoothies. I also add spirulina, which is a great cognitive booster. Check it out!
I enjoyed reading this post while heating my dark chocolate candy and drinking dark chocolate coffee Mocha.
more chocolate...!!!!
Great news, you have given me more excuses to eat more chocolate, thanks.
Have you tried the Lindt 85% cocoa it's pretty horrible.
Great article..
Thank you for the beautiful sharing !!
Its always good to find new reasons to eat chocolate @doitvoluntarily
So far - I was aware of the research that said chocolates enhanced mood and acted as anti-depressant. Your extensive article explain many more benefits than that. Popular belief has been for children to be prevented from eating too much chocolate but, as your article points out, if coco can enhance cognitive facilities and even aid visual information processing along with improving memory, children actually should be encouraged to eat chocolates - at least once in a while. Congratulations on this very well researched and well presented article.
Upvoted and followed.
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Our diets play a big role in our bodies development. What we put in, is what we get out.
I like these studies about certain super foods and nutrients that can keep us younger for longer. I read an article on pot keeping the mind young, just the other day.
We are understanding more and more with each study done. I'ts amazing to think that one day through studying foods that we may live a lot more functional lives and for a lot longer than generations before us.
I wrote about the pot article, if anyone would like to read it. Check my blog out =)
Thanks for an informative post! People sometimes forget that cocoa is a ground up bean.
I avoid table sugar as if it is poison. It would be great if someone made chocolate with honey. Sure, it would have a lot of calories, but at least it would be healthy.
I use honey already to make mead, so I will experiment with cocoa too.
Chocolate is life, moreover chocolate suits everything. I love chocolate, I just have to change the normal chocolate to the bitter one, which is healthier.
Thanks for now allowing me to list "dark chocolate ice cream" as a nutritional supplement for health! ;-)
Hello, thanks for great post .
Great read @doitvoluntarily! And great news for the dark choclate lovers just like me!!! Small note though, cacao is not the same as cocoa.... for this study I reckon they used cacao since it is the raw and unprocessed form. No heat treatment that may reduce beneficial compounds (such as antioxidants) and no sugar added.
I like sugar and voting en masse for your posts.
It would not let me vote for this post being close to payout so now I am feeling triggered by not having this voted for, and no sugar LOL
I am doing a drive by voting of all your posts right meow!