Flavanol-Rich Cocoa

Consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa acutely increases microcirculation in human skin.

BACKGROUND Long term cocoa ingestion leads to an increased resistance against UV-induced erythema and a lowered transepidermal water loss. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the acute effects of a single dose of cocoa rich in flavanols on dermal microcirculation. METHODS In a crossover design study, 10 healthy women ingested a cocoa drink (100 ml) with high (329 mg) or low (27 mg) content of f...

Cerebral blood flow response to flavanol-rich cocoa in healthy elderly humans

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cerebral ischemia is a common, morbid condition accompanied by cognitive decline. Recent reports on the vascular health benefits of flavanol-containing foods signify a promising approach to the treatment of cerebral ischemia. Our study was designed to investigate the effects of flavanol-rich cocoa (FRC) consumption on cerebral blood flow in older healthy volunteers. MET...

Flavanol-rich cocoa a promising new dietary intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes?

Tolerance for High Flavanol Cocoa Powder in Semisweet Chocolate

Endogenous polyphenolic compounds in cacao impart both bitter and astringent characteristics to chocolate confections. While an increase in these compounds may be desirable from a health perspective, they are generally incongruent with consumer expectations. Traditionally, chocolate products undergo several processing steps (e.g., fermentation and roasting) that decrease polyphenol content, and...

Benefits in cognitive function, blood pressure, and insulin resistance through cocoa flavanol consumption in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) study.

Flavanol consumption is favorably associated with cognitive function. We tested the hypothesis that dietary flavanols might improve cognitive function in subjects with mild cognitive impairment. We conducted a double-blind, parallel arm study in 90 elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment randomized to consume once daily for 8 weeks a drink containing ≈990 mg (high flavanols), ≈520 mg...