A new study has shown that dark chocolate may support and enhance cognitive functions in elderly people. This is related to the flavonoids found in cocoa beans. However, such an effect was observed only in participants with poor dietary habits.
Flavonoids, when entering the body, contribute to the improvement of metabolic processes, strengthen blood vessels, reduce blood clotting, and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Thus, polyphenols help prevent the development of various diseases, including dementia. This occurs due to the antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties contained in these nutrients.
Previous studies have shown that cocoa extract can have a protective effect on brain health; however, the results were ambiguous or not sufficiently convincing. In this regard, scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology decided to conduct additional research to determine how flavonoids from cocoa beans affect the cognitive abilities of elderly people.
Research Process
The study involved 573 elderly individuals with an average age of 69 years. At the beginning of the experiment, each of them underwent detailed individual cognitive testing. Additionally, the volunteers filled out a questionnaire indicating their lifestyle, dietary habits, and health status.
The participants were divided into two groups. One group consumed 500 milligrams of dark chocolate with added cocoa extract daily for two weeks, while the other group received a placebo. After this period, the participants underwent cognitive testing again.
Analysis of the results showed that those who had unhealthy dietary habits at the start of the study and consumed dark chocolate for two weeks answered some questions more correctly the second time. At the same time, among those who already adhered to a healthy diet, no cognitive improvements were recorded.
The scientists also found that cocoa contains the flavanol epicatechin, which reduces inflammation and degeneration in the brain.
Where to Find Flavonoids
Not only in chocolate! Therefore, it is not advisable to overindulge in dark chocolate: to obtain 500 mg of flavonoids, one would need to consume more than 100 grams of the product, which contains about 600 kilocalories. This is almost a third of the recommended daily allowance for an adult! Such an amount of chocolate can lead to weight gain and a deficiency of necessary nutrients.
Instead, it is better to include foods such as tea, citrus fruits and juices, berries, red wine, apples, beans, and other legumes in the diet.
