Two cups of cocoa a day helps maintain memory.

American researchers say that drinking two cups of chocolateGetting warm every day may help older adults maintain brain sharpness and improve memory, according to UPI. Study author Farzaneh A. Sorond of Boston Medical School conducted the research on individuals with an average age of 73 who did not have dementia.

Two cups of hot cocoa a day are good for the brain - Photo: Shutterstock

The subjects drank two cups of hot cocoa daily for 30 days and consumed no other chocolate products. They underwent tests of memory and cognitive ability. The subjects also underwent ultrasound examinations to measure blood flow to the brain during the trials.

“We are learning more about blood flow in the brain and its impact on cognitive abilities. When different areas of the brain need more energy to complete tasks, they also receive greater blood flow. This relationship may play a crucial role in diseases like Alzheimer’s,” Sorond said.

Approximately one-third of the study participants had poor blood flow at the start of the study. These individuals experienced an 8.3% improvement in blood flow to active areas of the brain by the end of the study, compared to 0% in those who started the study with normal blood flow.

The study also showed that people with poor blood flow improved their response time on a memory test, dropping from 167 seconds at the start of the study to 116 seconds at the end.

The research results have been published in the journal Neurology.

According to Thanh Nien - TL