Cocoa Fruit (photo by Sanjay Pindiyath, courtesy of morguefile.com)

A number of past studies have found that flavanol-rich cocoa products can improve cardiovascular health. A new study conducted by Boston researchers supports those earlier findings and has concluded that they boost blood flow in the brain and reduce the risk of dementia and stroke.

A report in Food Navigator says the lead author of the study, Farzaneh Sorond, wrote in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, “To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly investigate the effect of both acute and short-term flavanol-rich cocoa (FRC) consumption on cerebral blood flow.”

The study was funded by Mars and Harold Schmitz, PhD, chief science officer at Mars is quoted as saying, "Though more research is needed, these findings raise the possibility that flavanol-rich cocoa products could be developed to help slow brain decline in older age."

We’ll be interested in the results of further studies, but for now we’re going to follow the advice we’ve given in the past: eat dark chocolate and drink red wine every day for a healthier and happier life!

If you’d like to read the Food Navigator article cited above go to: Cocoa flavanols may boost blood flow in the brain

If you’d like to try some fantastic chocolate from Theo in Seattle, our favorite chocolate maker, click on any of the following:
Theo Organic Chocolate Confections
Organic Chocolate from Ghana's Cacao
Organic Chocolate from the Ivory Coast's Cacao
Organic Bread & Chocolate Bars

If you'd like to order some spectacular, all-natural, chocolate sauces from Maine go to any of the following:
Robin's Original Chocolate Sauce
Tropical Dark Chocolate Sauce
Blueberry Chocolate Sauce
Ginger Pear Chocolate Sauce
Orange Spice Chocolate Sauce
Raspberry Chocolate Sauce
Robin's Fair Trade™ Variety Pack
Robin's Original Chocolate Sauces

If you'd like to try a handmade chocolate cheesecake so rich it's almost sinful go to: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

If you'd like to try a wonderful Tex-Mex recipe calling for chocolate go to: Mole Sauce