How Chocolate Boosts Your Brain Power
Cocoa gives the brain a boost. In a study, the cocoa-typical plant substances were able to accelerate the blood flow to the brain and thus ensure more oxygen in the brain. The respective test subjects also did better in a subsequent cognitive test.
Cocoa for the brain: healthier blood vessels ensure cognitive fitness
Earlier studies had shown that flavonoid-rich foods, especially cocoa, have anti-inflammatory effects and improve blood vessel health, thus preventing cardiovascular problems. In a first study on the influence of flavonoids on the vessels of the brain, it has now been found that the plant substances themselves have an effect in this area and can increase cognitive performance. The study was published in November 2020 in the journal Scientific Reports.
Active plant substances in chocolate: flavanols
Catarina Rendeiro — scientist at the University of Birmingham — led the double-blind study together with the two psychology professors Monica Fabiani and Gabriele Gratton from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Rendeiro explained, “Flavanols are tiny molecules that are found in many fruits and vegetables, but also in cocoa. They have an extremely beneficial effect on the blood vessels. Now we wanted to investigate whether the flavanols can also affect the brain and cognitive functions.”
Flavanols are a subgroup of the large plant family of flavonoids. The flavanols include the famous epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea or the oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) that are found in grape seeds or the brown skins of peanut kernels.
Study: Can Cocoa Improve Brain Responses?
Eighteen healthy non-smokers were chosen as study participants. The study consisted of two rounds. In one, the participants received flavanol-rich cocoa, in the other, they received heavily processed cocoa with a very low flavanol content. In order not to influence the results of the study by certain expectations on the part of the participants or the scientists, neither the participants nor the scientists knew which cocoa was being used in both trials.
Two hours after consuming the chocolate, the test subjects inhaled air with a 5 percent carbon dioxide content. Normal air only has a 0.04 percent carbon dioxide content, so that the study inhaled air that contained more than 100 times the amount of carbon dioxide. Such carbon dioxide-rich air is always administered in studies when you want to check the condition and functionality of the blood vessels in the brain. If a lot of carbon dioxide is inhaled, the body normally reacts with increased blood flow towards the brain, so that the gray cells are still adequately supplied with oxygen and at the same time the excess carbon dioxide can be quickly transported away again.
Cocoa only works with a high flavanol content
With the help of near-infrared spectroscopy, corresponding changes in the blood flow and also the oxygen supply in the brain can be measured, so that one can see how well the brain can defend itself against the excess of carbon dioxide. The researchers were particularly interested in the changes in the frontal cortex, i.e. in the region of the brain that is particularly important for planning, controlling one’s own behavior and making decisions.
At the same time, the participants were confronted with tasks with which their cognitive abilities could be assessed. Almost all participants (14 of 18) had a better and faster oxygen supply in the brain after consuming the flavanol-rich cocoa than after consuming the low-flavanol cocoa.
Cocoa triples the oxygen supply in the brain
Yes, the oxygen supply in the brain was three times higher in these participants after the flavanol-rich cocoa than after the low-flavanol cocoa and the blood flow was faster by one minute. The participants with the flavanol-rich cocoa also did better in the cognitive test. They solved the complicated tasks in an 11 percent shorter period of time. There were no time differences for the simple tasks.
In 4 of 18 test persons, the flavanols did not seem to have any particular effect — the oxygen supply to the brain neither improved nor could they complete the tasks faster than without flavanols. It turned out, however, that these 4 test subjects were people whose brains already had very good reactivity and oxygen supply without cocoa, so that one can assume that flavanols are not particularly good in people who are already quite fit Have more effect.
Only cocoa rich in flavanol improves mental fitness
With cocoa rich in flavanol, the functions of the blood vessels in the brain can first be improved and then mental fitness can also be improved. So if you want to use cocoa or chocolate for the health of your blood vessels, your cardiovascular system and your brain in the future, look out for high-quality cocoa or high-quality chocolate.
The well-known instant cocoa drinks and chocolates are mostly heavily processed and therefore tend to be low in flavanol. Even the usual roasting, which every cocoa bean undergoes before further processing into conventional chocolate and cocoa products, significantly reduces the flavanol content. You should therefore use cocoa in raw food quality, e.g. the raw chocolates from Ombar, the raw chocolate bars from Roo’bar or cocoa nibs that go well with muesli.
