A new study has found that eating the sweet treats positively influences cognitive performance.
The study--which was published in the journal Appetite--involved 968 people between the ages of 23 to 98.
Researchers observed their cognitive function as well as dietary intake and cardiovascular factors. And, they found that those who ate chocolate regularly had improved cognitive function “irrespective of other dietary habits”.
It further showed that frequent chocolate consumption was “significantly associated with better performance on cognitive tests including visual-spatial memory and organisation, working memory, scanning and tracking, abstract reasoning, and the mini-mental state examination”.
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The specific component in chocolate responsible for this are Cocoa flavanols, which are found in dark chocolate more than white chocolate.
High levels of flavanols can also be found in red wine, tea, and certain fruits like apples and grapes.
The study’s authors also stated the findings suggest that “regular intake of cocoa flavanols may have a beneficial effect on cognitive function, and possibly protect against normal age-related cognitive decline”.
But aside from improving brain function, previous studies also found that chocolate makes you slimmer!
Yes, you read that right.
A recent study found that those who ate chocolate regularly were slimmer than those who only consumed it once in a while.
Though it wasn’t exactly clear how chocolate does this, the research suggests that chocolate contains certain chemicals which boost weight loss. Previous studies have also found that chocolate contributes to heart health.
READ: 15 brain-boosting food that kids should eat during exam week
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