Although the results of the recent study are encouraging to the scientists and researchers, more studies are required to thoroughly analyze the effects of flavanol, and which type has the highest bioactivity. This is a vital step prior to moving on to human clinical applications and seeing whether cocoa (and chocolate) has the same effects on people.
One must eat about 70 grams of dark chocolate on a daily basis to enjoy all the health benefits mentioned above. In addition to helping prevent obesity and weight gain, chocolate is also believed to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which is basically the hardening and thickening of the arteries. In other words, moderate consumption of dark chocolate can have a positive impact on vascular health as well.
Throughout the years, researchers have conducted scores of different studies to reveal the healthy properties of chocolate, and while some of them have shown that cocoa is great for improving memory, losing weight and preventing diabetes, other studies have revealed that hot chocolate can actually help memory – it is believed that by consuming chocolate regularly, we can significantly slow down natural age-related memory decline.
