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Cocoa

Cocoa flavonoids (chocolate) featured article

Cocoa, the principal component of chocolate, is derived from the cacao tree. Cocoa and chocolate are rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, exhibiting the highest concentrations of flavonoids (chiefly epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins) among many commonly consumed foods. However, cocoa processing induces flavonoid losses of 60 percent or more.

A wide range of beneficial health effects are attributed to the consumption of cocoa and chocolate, and robust evidence suggests that cocoa flavonoids…

  • Improve endothelial function.
  • Lower blood pressure.
  • Promote healthy blood lipid concentrations.
  • Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • Protect the skin against sun damage.
  • Enhance blood flow to the brain.

Blood pressure effects

When adults with high blood pressure took cocoa flavonoid capsules (providing 862 milligrams of cocoa flavonoids) for eight consecutive days, their systolic blood pressure dropped by...

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Should You Supplement With Cocoa Flavanols? - Rhonda Patrick

Posted on January 22nd 2025 (5 months)

In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick highlights the health benefits of cocoa flavanols for circulation, cognition, and skin, plus her dosing insights.

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Q&A #53 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (11/4/23)

Posted on November 9th 2023 (over 1 year)

Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores cheese's health impact, ergothioneine's longevity properties, sleep and joint supplements, and red light therapy in her latest Q&A.

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Q&A #50 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (8/5/23)

Posted on August 13th 2023 (almost 2 years)

Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores taurine's longevity role, cocoa flavanols, training adaptations, and oral hyaluronic acid in a Q&A.

Topic Pages

  • Cocoa flavonoids (chocolate)
    stub

    Cocoa beans biosynthesize flavanol monomers and proanthocyanidin oligomers—cocoa flavonoids—that scavenge radicals and stimulate endothelial nitric-oxide signaling.

News & Publications

  • High-flavanol cocoa protects blood vessels during stress, with function surpassing pre-stress levels at 90 minutes when paired with high-fat meals. pubs.rsc.org
    Diet Stress Polyphenol Cardiovascular Cocoa

    Stress damages the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke. Stress can also drive people to make poor dietary choices, often leading to overeating or consuming high-fat, low-nutrient foods instead of healthier options like fruits and vegetables. A recent study found that cocoa flavanols help counteract the harmful effects of stress and unhealthy meals on the heart and blood vessels.

    The study involved 23 healthy young adults. Each participant ate a high-fat meal (buttered croissants, cheese, and whole milk) paired with either a high-flavanol cocoa drink or a low-flavanol cocoa drink before completing an eight-minute stress task. Researchers measured their blood vessel function, brain oxygen levels, blood flow, blood pressure, and mood multiple times before and after the stress challenge.

    Participants who drank the high-flavanol cocoa maintained better blood vessel function after stress than those who consumed the low-flavanol drink. Blood vessel function declined considerably within 30 minutes of the stress task in the low-flavanol group but was preserved with high flavanol intake. At 90 minutes, blood vessel function improved beyond pre-stress levels in the high-flavanol group. The two groups had similar stress-related changes in blood pressure, brain oxygenation, and mood.

    The findings from this small study suggest that flavanol-rich foods help protect the cardiovascular system during stressful periods, even when accompanied by unhealthy meals. Flavanols are polyphenolic compounds in dark chocolate, berries, apples, and tea. Evidence suggests flavanols exert potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Learn more about flavanols and other polyphenols in our overview article.

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  • Epicatechin-rich cocoa boosts endogenous antioxidant production and mitochondrial function while protecting against muscle damage in people with peripheral artery disease. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    Mitochondria Polyphenol NRF2 Cardiovascular Cocoa

    Peripheral artery disease affects roughly 230 million people worldwide and arises when plaque accumulation in the arteries impairs the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the muscles, causing pain with physical activity. A recent study found that cocoa flavanols promote the production of endogenous antioxidants and proteins involved in mitochondrial function in people with peripheral artery disease.

    The study involved 16 people with peripheral artery disease who were enrolled in COCOA-PAD, a six-month randomized controlled trial in which participants who received a cocoa beverage containing 15 grams of cocoa (providing 75 milligrams of epicatechin, a flavanol compound) daily showed marked improvements in walking performance and less pain with activity. Researchers examined muscle samples taken before and after the trial to study changes in muscle fibers, endogenous antioxidants (heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1), and energy-related proteins.

    They found that participants who received the cocoa beverage had higher levels of endogenous antioxidants, correlating with less muscle damage. They also had higher levels of UQCRC2, a protein critical for energy production in the mitochondria.

    These findings suggest that cocoa flavanols promote the synthesis of endogenous antioxidants and proteins involved in energy production and point toward a mechanism for the beneficial effects observed in COCOA-PAD. Because heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 are targets of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the investigators posited that the mechanism driving the beneficial effects of cocoa flavanol supplementation is Nrf2 activation.

    Nrf2 is a protein typically found in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Nrf2 can relocate to the nucleus, where it regulates the expression of hundreds of antioxidant and stress response proteins that protect against oxidative damage triggered by injury and inflammation. Although this study found that cocoa induces Nrf2, one of the most robust inducers of Nrf2 is sulforaphane, a compound derived from broccoli. Learn more about sulforaphane and Nrf2 in this clip featuring Dr. Jed Fahey.

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  • Unlocking cardiovascular fitness: Cocoa flavonols enhance peak oxygen consumption by nearly 10 percent in older adults. pubs.rsc.org
    Aging Polyphenol Cardiovascular Cocoa

    Cardiovascular aging is characterized by marked functional decline and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Evidence suggests that flavonols, a broad class of bioactive compounds found in cocoa and other fruits, exert cardioprotective effects, bolstering cardiorespiratory fitness. A recent study shows that older adults who took cocoa flavonols experienced a nearly 10 percent gain in peak oxygen consumption, a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness, during exercise.

    Researchers conducted a study involving 68 healthy older adults aged 55 to 79. Half of the participants took 1,000 milligrams of cocoa flavonols daily for a month, while the other half took a placebo. The researchers measured the participants' peak oxygen consumption during exercise and assessed other aspects of their cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and blood vessel health.

    They found that participants who took the cocoa flavonols showed marked improvements in their cardiorespiratory fitness. Their oxygen use during exercise increased by nearly 10 percent, and their exercise capacity increased by more than 6 percent. Their resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased by 5.4 mmHg and 2.9 mmHg, respectively, and their blood vessel function improved by 1.3 percent. Those who took the placebo didn’t demonstrate these improvements.

    These findings suggest that cocoa flavonols benefit older adults' cardiovascular health by improving fitness levels and other health markers, potentially promoting better heart health in aging. Interestingly, the benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness extend to cognitive function, too. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. Axel Montagne.

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  • Consuming 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols daily improves hippocampal memory function in older adults, study finds. www.pnas.org
    Brain Memory Polyphenol Cocoa

    Dietary components play critical roles in cognitive function as we age. A new study shows that flavanols – bioactive compounds found in tea, apples, berries, grapes, cocoa, and other fruits and vegetables – improve memory. People who took a flavanol-rich cocoa supplement performed better on memory tests than those who didn’t.

    Researchers conducted a three-year study involving more than 3,500 older adults. Half of the participants received a cocoa extract containing 500 milligrams of flavanols daily, while the other half received a placebo. The researchers gave the participants memory tests before and after the intervention, and they assessed the participants' overall diet quality using the Healthy Eating Index.

    They found that people with higher flavanol intake and better overall diet quality at the beginning of the study had better memory performance, particularly in tasks involving the hippocampus – the area of the brain responsible for memory consolidation. However, after one year of intervention, the researchers found that memory improved among those with lower diet quality or low flavanol intake.

    These findings suggest that low dietary flavanol intake contributes to age-related cognitive decline, specifically hippocampal-dependent memory, but flavanol supplementation counteracts these effects. They also underscore the importance of including flavanol-rich foods in the diet throughout the lifespan for optimal cognitive performance.

    Evidence suggests flavanols promote angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), which is crucial for adequate blood flow to the brain. Learn how blood flow to the brain influences cognitive function in this episode featuring Dr. Axel Montagne.

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