Hot dark chocolate improves memory and thinking

Scientists have finally found a simple way to prevent dementia.

You should drink two cups of hot chocolate a day.

Drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day mayenhance memoryof the elderly up to nearly 1/3. Scientists believe that chocolate has the effect of promoting blood circulation, this is also the reason behind chocolate's ability to enhance memory.

"We are learning more about blood flow in the brain and its influence on thinking skills," said lead author Dr. Farzaneh Sorond of Harvard Medical School. "Because different areas of the brain need more energy to complete tasks, they also need more blood flow. This relationship may play an important role in the causes ofdiseases like Alzheimer's".

The study, published in the journal Neurology, involved 60 people without dementia, with an average age of 73. Each subject drank two cups of hot cocoa every day for a month and did not eat any other chocolate during the study. Both their memory and thinking skills were tested, and the scientists also used ultrasound to measure blood flow to the brain during the tests.

Dark chocolate helps fight high blood pressure and diabetes

Nearly a third of the participants had reduced blood flow at the start of the study, but by the end of the study, blood flow to the working areas of the brain had improved by 8.3%. The group with reduced blood flow also improved after completing a memory test. In both cases, there was no improvement for those with normal blood flow at the start of the study.

Half of the study participants drank hot cocoa rich in flavanol antioxidants, while the other half drank hot cocoa low in flavanols. There was no difference in outcomes between the two groups. “More work needs to be done to prove the link between cocoa, circulation problems, and cognitive decline,” said Paul Rosenberg, PhD, of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “However, this is an important first step that points the way for future research.”

Previous research has shown that dark chocolate, containing at least 60-70% cocoa, has a protective effect against high blood pressure and diabetes. According to scientists, dark chocolate is even beneficial for people at high risk of heart disease and stroke. These beneficial effects were only found in dark chocolate that was at least 60-70% cocoa. Meanwhile, milk chocolate or white chocolate did not have the same benefits. This may be because dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which have a protective effect on the heart.

According to Knowledge - NT