Does chocolate really boost our brains?
Brain health is becoming a crucial issue with the cognitive decline and memory problems associated with an aging population. There's no age limit to taking care of your health, and dark chocolate is often cited for its flavanoids (antioxidants), which have a beneficial effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease and on our brain.
When we talk about the benefits of dark chocolate, we are reminded that it is preferable to consume chocolates with an intensity of over 60% cocoa to reap the full benefits.
When it comes to our brains, which areas are really influenced by dark chocolate, and what can we really expect from cocoa?
Chocolate and memory
Studies suggest that cocoa flavonoids increase the volume of blood flow to the hippocampus, a specialized brain structure vital for short-term memory.
Eating dark chocolate therefore maintains and nurtures our ability to memorize.
Chocolate and cognitive decline
In the long term, chocolate is beneficial for all cognitive functions, including memory, speed of information processing and verbal skills.
When cognitive functions have already begun to decline, dark chocolate continues to improve and preserve these functions, especially memory. This is another of the positive effects of flavonoids, which are thought to stimulate cognitive function and combat age-related decline.
Chocolate and concentration
As far as concentration is concerned, the molecule in question is theanine, an amino acid renowned for its positive role in concentration and alertness.
Chocolate and energy
Unfortunately, chocolate doesn't provide the boost we'd hoped for. It's not very rich in caffeine: 40 g of chocolate contain around 6 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a cup of decaffeinated coffee...
Comments