Washington: Dark chocolate lovers, take heart. Those large bars of absolute bliss, considered the Food of the Gods, do a lot more than just lifting the mood and spirits of the person consuming it.
Findings from two studies presented at the Experimental Biology 2018 in San Diego on Tuesday showed that consuming dark chocolate that has a high concentration of cacao (minimally 70 per cent) has positive effects on stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity.
The flavonoids found in cacao are extremely potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, with known mechanisms beneficial for brain and cardiovascular health, said Lee S Berk, Dr PH, associate dean of research affairs, School of Allied Health Professions, who served as principal investigator on both the studies.
According to Dr Berk, "We looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time. These studies showed us that higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive impact it had on cognition, memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects."
This pilot feasibility experimental trial examined the impact of 70 per cent cacao chocolate consumption on human immune and dendritic cell gene expression, with focus on pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
It showed that cacao consumption up-regulated the multiple intracellular signaling pathways involved in T-cell activation, cellular immune response and genes involved in neural signaling and sensory perception -- the latter potentially associated with the phenomena of brain hyperplasticity.
Another study revealed that this superfood enhanced neuroplasticity for behavioural and brain health benefits, Dr Berk, who is also a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science from Loma Linda University, added.(UNI)