To combine pleasure and health, let's opt for dark chocolate -

© Sigmund / Unsplash

  • Besides their cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, cocoa flavanols may help improve muscle recovery thanks to their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, according to a study published by our partner The Conversation.

  • Originally from South America, cocoa was introduced to Europe in the 16th century by the conquistador Hernan Cortes.

  • This gourmet study was conducted by Liam Corr, doctoral researcher in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield (England).

Chocolate in all its forms is a pleasure that, like many, I treat myself almost daily.

But chocolate as it is tasted today is very different from that which was available in Europe, from South America, around the 16th century.

For the Aztec people, cocoa was consumed as a drink and was of great cultural and medicinal significance.

It was almost considered a panacea that could cure various ailments, including fever, diarrhea, fatigue, sore throat and tooth decay.

The Aztec belief that cocoa was a divine elixir was probably due to the idea that it was a gift from Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of wind and wisdom.

Perhaps this is the reason why the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named the plant

Theobroma cacao

, after the ancient Greek words “theos” meaning god and “broma” meaning food - “food of the gods”.

Cocoa beans in their pod © US State Dpm of Agriculture / Wikimedia CC BY SA

The reason for any potential benefit, however, is more likely to be due to the high concentration of polyphenols found in natural cocoa - known as cocoa flavanols.

Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds found in fruits and vegetables that protect the body against free radicals, an excess of which has been linked to various diseases.

So while cocoa is not a panacea, research shows that it is more than just guilty pleasure.

A rich past

The alleged person responsible for the integration of cocoa in Europe is Hernan Cortes, a Spanish conquistador (soldier and explorer) returning from the "New World".

In 1518, Cortes and his men arrived in what is now Mexico and made their way to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.

During their stay in Mexico, the Spaniards tasted a bitter drink called “chikolatl”.

This drink contained roasted cocoa beans which were crushed and then boiled in water with spices and chili.

Aztec woman pouring chocolate from one container to another © Wikimedia CC BY SA

The first exposure to the drink was not a success for the Spaniards, who found it too bitter and almost unpleasant.

But having seen Montezuma II, king of the Aztecs, consume the drink around 50 times a day, Cortes became interested in the potential of cocoa and sought to bring it back to Spain after its conquest.

Once in Europe, cocoa beans were ground and mixed with honey and sugar, becoming a popular drink among the elite.

Eventually, in the 19th century, the first chocolate bar was made by Joseph Fry and Sons, creating what we know today as chocolate.

From bean to tablet

While cocoa beans in their natural form contain a large amount of antioxidant compounds, the processes involved in turning the beans into chocolate bars reduce the flavanol content of cocoa, thereby decreasing the antioxidant properties of cocoa.

Our "Chocolate" file

Indeed, research shows that natural cocoa powder contains almost ten times more flavanols than cocoa that has undergone this process.

As for chocolate bars, dark chocolate almost always contains a higher concentration of flavanols than milk chocolate.

For example, a 25g serving of high percentage (over 75%) dark chocolate may contain more than 80 mg of cocoa flavanols, compared to about 10 mg or less per 25 g for a bar of milk chocolate.

The virtues of chocolate for health

Research has shown that dark chocolate and cocoa products containing at least 200 mg of cocoa flavanols can improve the elasticity of blood vessels, which promotes blood circulation.

And regular consumption of cocoa flavanols - even at doses of 80 mg per day - improves the ability of blood vessels to dilate or expand, which helps the body regulate blood pressure and blood flow to them. organs.

This is believed to be due to the fact that cocoa flavanols increase the concentration of bioactive nitric oxide.

It is a molecule involved in widening blood vessels which also has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the formation of blood clots, which may have beneficial effects on blood pressure.

Cocoa flavanols can also increase blood flow to the brain, which can improve cognitive performance.

And they could help reduce cognitive decline by protecting the brain from damage caused by free radicals.

Chocolate in all its forms © Andreas Kraus / Shutterstock

Along with their cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, cocoa flavanols may also help improve muscle recovery after strenuous exercise, thanks to their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

A recent study showed that a single high dose of 1245 mg of cocoa flavanols (15 g of high-flavanol-rich cocoa powder) slightly improved muscle recovery.

The next time you're craving chocolate, choose a dark, high-percentage variety or natural cocoa powder for its potential health benefits.

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This analysis was written by Liam Corr, doctoral researcher in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield (England).


The original article was published on The Conversation website.

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