Chocolate Can Make You Smarter

Based on Misbar’s investigation, the social media claims come from a recent study published in Scientific Reports. This research involved looking more closely at flavonoids, which are a group of small molecules present in fruits and vegetables, and also cocoa. The researchers set out to determine if the flavonoids present in cocoa (and also present in berries, grapes, apples, and tea) may improve brain function. 

During the study, the researchers tracked how 18 participants, who were all healthy and ages 18 to 40, reacted to brain-teasing and brain oxygenation tests before and after consuming either processed cocoa that was low in flavanols, or flavanol-rich chocolate. The tests showed that most participants performed the complex tasks faster and had improved oxygenation after ingesting the flavanol-rich chocolate. Oxygen concentration changes in the brain could be detected before and after the intake of the flavanol-rich chocolate, especially in the frontal regions. 

This study is not the first to show a relationship between the polyphenols found in cocoa and blood flow. An earlier study showed that consuming chocolate containing high concentrations of cocoa improved vascular function in post-menopausal women. 

 While the latest study on cocoa flavanols is extremely small, previous research has shown the benefits of the chemicals found in dark fruits and vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa. Dark chocolate containing high levels of cocoa flavanols can be good for brain health.