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Cacao has been linked to multiple benefits, from a healthier heart, slower ageing, and sharper cognition. However, experts warn that it comes with caveats. <\/p>\n
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Multiple studies have linked cocoa to positive health outcomes, driven primarily by flavanols \u2013 a potent plant-based bioactive compound and antioxidant \u2013 and theobromine, a bitter-tasting natural stimulant found in cacao plants and chocolate. <\/p>\n
However, eating a milk chocolate bar is not the same as consuming pure cocoa nibs, and the risks and benefits may vary. <\/p>\n
How can cacao be beneficial?<\/p>\n
Cacao is rich in flavanols, a class of compounds also found in various plants and vegetables, which have been associated with a range of health benefits, acting as antioxidants, anticarcinogens, and anti-inflammatories. <\/p>\n
Theobromine, meanwhile, can penetrate the blood\u2013brain barrier, acting as an adenosine receptor antagonist to influence neuro-factors and enhance cognitive function, according to a 2024 study. This potentially provides neuroprotection against age-related cognitive impairments, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.<\/p>\n
Positive impacts on heart health<\/p>\n
Cocoa has also been associated with a lower risk of dying from a heart-related cause. <\/p>\n
A 2025 meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that foods rich in flavanols can decrease blood pressure and enhance cardiovascular health in clinically relevant populations with elevated blood pressure, hypertension, and high risk of cardiovascular diseases. <\/p>\n
The researchers noted that these benefits can likely be achieved by consuming roughly one to two servings of dark chocolate, or two to three tablespoons of cocoa powder per day. <\/p>\n
The Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), one of the largest and longest-running randomised controlled trials looking at the relationship between chocolate consumption and health, followed over 21,000 people for an average of three years. <\/p>\n
Some of the participants took a supplement twice a day that contained 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols, while others received a placebo. <\/p>\n
While all participants performed similarly on cognitive health tests and rates of type 2 diabetes, those who took the supplement were 27 percent less likely to die of heart-related causes. <\/p>\n
However, the investigators warn that COSMOS was not a trial to evaluate whether eating chocolate is good. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt instead asks, \u2018Is there something about the cocoa bean and the bioactive components in it that could be beneficial for health?\u2019\u201d said Howard Sesso, co-principal investigator. <\/p>\n
Chocolate may slow ageing<\/p>\n