Extensive scientific research conducted at top research institutions around the world, including Harvard University, the National Institutes of Health and Columbia University, has demonstrated the remarkable benefits of daily cocoa flavanol consumption on brain, heart, and skin health. A growing body of evidence also suggests cocoa flavanols may support athletic performance and recovery time.
A significant body of published research has shown that consumption of cocoa flavanols support cognition and mood across a range of ages and study durations. Noteworthy trials range from a single day study in young adults showing improved cognitive performance and reduced ‘mental fatigue’ to a three month trial with baby boomers at Columbia University showing a significant reversal in age related memory loss. Click here for publication summaries of clinical studies assessing the impact of cocoa flavanols on cognition and mood: Cognition Studies | Mood Studies
Cocoa flavanol benefits on circulation and the cardiovascular system have been extensively studied and published over the past two decades. Key studies highlight improvements in circulation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol levels (lower LDL & higher HDL), and insulin resistance. A notable recent study, measuring inputs associated with the Framingham Risk Model, projected a 30% reduction in cardiovascular deaths over a ten year period. Click here for publication summaries of clinical studies assessing the impact of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular health: Heart Health
Enhanced blood flow and delivery of oxygen and nutrients logically support skin function. So it is not surprising that studies of cocoa flavanols effect on skin wellness reveal significant increases in skin density and thickness, meaningful improvements in skin hydration, and a reduction in both skin roughness and scaling. Clinical trials also demonstrate significant increases in in UV photo protection. Click here for publication summaries of clinical studies assessing the impact of cocoa flavanols on skin wellness: Skin Wellness
Exercise performance and recovery time are highly dependent on the healthy circulation of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and organs. Initial studies of cocoa flavanol impact on exercise and recovery are encouraging and have provided a stimulus for additional research in this area. Click here for publication summaries of clinical studies assessing the impact of cocoa flavanols on exercise performance: Exercise Performance
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Cocoa flavanols have near-term or acute benefits as well as longer-term benefits that build with daily consumption. Short-term benefits on circulation and health peak about two hours post consumption and dissipate approximately six hours later. Two studies nicely demonstrating near-term health benefits include trials by Scholey et al in 2010 and Field et al in 2011 that showed significant improvements in cognitive processing, spatial memory, mood and visual contrast just a few hours following a single, measured portion of cocoa flavanols. Click below to see study summaries:
Mid and long-term benefits of cocoa flavanols have been conclusively demonstrated in dozens of controlled clinical trials and observational studies. An important study by Sansone et al in 2015 shows how cocoa flavanol impact builds with daily use. Sansone measured % change in flow mediated artery dilation or FMD, a common measure of blood vessel function. FMD specifically measures the capability of arteries to dilate, or widen, when increased blood flow is needed. As shown in chart 1, blood level function increased over the course of two weeks with daily cocoa flavanol consumption of 900 mg per day. Measurements were taken at time of consumption (0 hours) as well as 1 and 2 hours post cocoa flavanol consumption.
A review of positive, well controlled clinical trials helps inform what portion or dose is necessary to achieve desired health benefits. Cocoa flavanol levels shown effective in controlled trials of brain, heart and skin health vary but mostly range between 500mg and 1,000mg per day.
Chart 2 highlights daily flavanol intake and study length for some of the most rigorous and successful clinical trials assessing cocoa flavanol benefits of brain, heart, and skin health.
Consumption or “dosing” frequency in successful clinical trials also varies although most studies require participants to consume the target level of cocoa flavanols either once a day (single portion) or twice a day (divided into two equal portions).
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1) Field et al. Consumption of Cocoa Flavanols Results in an Acute Improvement in Visual & Cognitive Function. Physiol Behav 2011
2) Scholey et al. Consumption of cocoa flavanols results in acute improvements in mood and cognitive performance during sustained mental effort. J Psychopharm 2010
3) Heiss et al. Impact of cocoa flavanol intake on age-dependent vascular stiffness in healthy men. AGE. June 2015
4) Williams et al. Eating Chocolate Can Significantly Protect the Skin from UV Light. J Cosmetic Dermatology Sept 2009
5) Sansone et al. Cocoa flavanol intake improves endothelial function and Framingham Risk Score in healthy men and women. British Journal of Nutrition. June, 2015
6) Pase et al. Cocoa Polyphenols Enhance Positive Mood States but not Cognitive Performance. J Psychopharm 2012
7) Mastroiacovo et al. Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects. AJCN Jan. 2015
8) Small et al. Enhancing Dentate Gyrus Function with Dietary Flavanols Improves Cognition in Older Adults. Nature Neuroscience Oct. 2014
The Kuna Indians, living in the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, have been closely studied by researchers from Harvard University and around the world because of their remarkably low rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bayard et al. reported that for every 100,000 residents on the mainland of Panama, 83 died from cardiovascular disease, and 68 died from cancer over a four-year period. In contrast, death rates per 100,000 Kuna were 9 for cardiovascular disease (a 9-fold reduction) and 4 for cancer (a 15-fold reduction). In essence, cardiovascular disease and cancer as a cause of death are extremely uncommon among the Kuna Indians!
Dr. Norman Hollenberg, professor at Harvard Medical School, initially suspected genetics were the reason for the Kuna’s low disease rates. It turned out, however, that the factors involved are environmental since disease protection is lost upon migration into the Panama mainland. Accordingly, Hollenberg initiated a study of what the Kuna islanders eat and drink. “The most outstanding finding was that most Kuna consume cocoa as their major drink and do so every day,” Hollenberg reported. “Many drink more than five cups per day.” By contrast, mainland Panamanians ingest little cocoa, and what they consume is commercially available and flavanol-poor (McCullough et. al 2006). Thus, the Harvard team established a link between cocoa flavanol consumption and the extraordinary health of the Kuna Indians.
Tests revealed Kuna cocoa to be much higher in flavanols than cocoa available in the United States or Europe, differences mostly attributable to western commercial processing and handling methods. Later tests Hollenberg conducted also revealed that high flavanol Kuna cocoa stimulated the body to produce nitric oxide (NO), a compound important to blood flow and healthy circulation. “NO is part of an internal regulatory system that operates in the heart, blood vessels, brain, penis, liver, pancreas, lungs, eyes, and likely every other organ in the body,” says Thomas Michel, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Hollenberg thinks that flavanols somehow activate a gene that makes NO, thereby initiating a process that has bestowed great health on the Kuna Indians for centuries.