In Italy, University of L’Aquila researchers have found yet another reason to eat chocolate every day – it’s good for your brain. The cocoa bean is a rich source of flavanols, natural compounds that have neuroprotective effects. This study showed improved cognitive performance with a daily intake of cocoa flavanols.
Participants demonstrated enhancements in working memory performance and improved visual information processing after having had cocoa flavanols. And for women, eating cocoa after a night of total sleep deprivation actually counteracted the expected cognitive impairment in the next day. Cognitive improvement was most pronounced in older adults with a starting memory decline or other mild cognitive impairments.
Authors Valentina Socci and Michele Ferrara said, “This result suggests the potential of cocoa flavanols to protect cognition in vulnerable populations over time by improving cognitive performance. Dark chocolate is a rich source of flavanols. So we always eat some dark chocolate. Every day.”