How Eating Chocolate Can Improve Your Brain Function and Memory

Chocolate is one of the most popular and delicious treats in the world. But did you know that chocolate can also have beneficial effects on your brain health and cognitive abilities? A new study has found that eating chocolate can improve your brain function and memory by increasing the blood flow and oxygen delivery to your brain cells. In this blog post, we will explore how chocolate can boost your brain power and what kind of chocolate you should eat to get the most benefits.

What are cocoa flavanols and how do they work?

Cocoa flavanols are natural compounds that are found in cocoa beans, the main ingredient of chocolate. They belong to a larger group of plant chemicals called polyphenols, which have various health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, improving blood flow, lowering blood pressure, and improving cholesterol and blood sugar levels¹.

Cocoa flavanols work by supporting the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and widen the blood vessels. This improves the blood circulation and oxygen delivery to different parts of the body, including the brain. By enhancing the brain’s blood supply, cocoa flavanols may help protect the brain cells from damage and aging, as well as improve their function and communication²³.

How does eating chocolate improve your cognitive performance?

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of L’Aquila in Italy, involved 968 participants who consumed different amounts of cocoa flavanols for eight weeks. The participants were divided into four groups:

• Low dose: 48 mg of cocoa flavanols per day
• Medium dose: 520 mg of cocoa flavanols per day
• High dose: 993 mg of cocoa flavanols per day
• Control group: no cocoa flavanols

The researchers measured the participants’ cognitive performance before and after the intervention using various tests that assessed their memory, attention, executive function, language, and processing speed. They also measured their blood pressure and insulin resistance.

The results showed that the high-dose group had the most significant improvement in cognitive performance, followed by the medium-dose group. The low-dose group and the control group did not show any significant changes. The high-dose group also had lower blood pressure and insulin resistance than the other groups⁴.

The researchers concluded that consuming cocoa flavanols at doses of 520 mg or 993 mg per day for eight weeks can improve cognitive function in healthy adults, especially in domains related to attention, processing speed, and working memory. They also suggested that cocoa flavanols may have a protective effect on the brain by improving vascular function and metabolic control⁴.

What kind of chocolate should you eat to get the benefits?

Before you rush to buy a chocolate bar, you should know that not all chocolate products contain the same amount of cocoa flavanols. In fact, most chocolate products undergo processing and heating that can reduce or destroy the cocoa flavanols content. Moreover, many chocolate products also contain added sugar, fat, and calories that can negate the health benefits of cocoa flavanols.

According to CocoaVia², a company that produces cocoa extract supplements with high levels of cocoa flavanols, one would need to eat about five average dark chocolate bars or 40 average milk chocolate bars to get 500 mg of cocoa flavanols per day². That would amount to about 2,500 calories and 170 grams of sugar from dark chocolate or 4,000 calories and 400 grams of sugar from milk chocolate. Clearly, this is not a healthy or sustainable way to consume cocoa flavanols.

Therefore, if you want to get the brain-boosting benefits of cocoa flavanols without consuming too many calories or sugar, you may want to opt for cocoa extract supplements that are standardized to contain a certain amount of cocoa flavanols per serving. Alternatively, you can also look for dark chocolate products that have at least 70% cocoa content and are minimally processed. However, you should still limit your intake to no more than one or two squares per day¹.

Conclusion

Chocolate is not only delicious but also beneficial for your brain health. A new study has shown that eating chocolate can improve your cognitive performance by increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to your brain cells. However, not all chocolate products are created equal. To get the most out of your chocolate consumption, you should choose products that have high levels of cocoa flavanols and low levels of sugar and calories. Alternatively, you can also take cocoa extract supplements that provide a standardized dose of cocoa flavanols per serving. By doing so, you can enjoy the sweet taste of chocolate while boosting your brain power at the same time.

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References:

¹: [10 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Cocoa Powder]
²: [Cocoa Flavanols Health Benefits | CocoaVia]
³: [The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance]
⁴: A flavanol-rich diet may increase brain function
: [Calories in Dark Chocolate (70-85% Cacao) | Nutrition, Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter]
: [Calories in Milk Chocolate | Nutrition, Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter]

Source: Conversation with Bing, 05/08/2023
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