Brain Health & Chocolate
As it’s the month of Easter I thought I would write this Blog Post about the nutritional benefits of chocolate for Brain health, cognitive function and Brainspan.
Firstly, chocolate in a Brain-supporting context means chocolate with a cacao content greater than 75%. To us, this translates as dark chocolate.
There are several reasons why dark chocolate is considered Brain beneficial and Neuroprotective (protecting the Brain). In terms of its composition, dark chocolate contains a high content of a compound called polyphenols; specifically, flavanols. These support & promote oxygenated blood flow to the Brain, are innately anti-inflammatory (polyphenols are antioxidants whose job it is to neutralise inflammatory molecules called free radicals), support concentration & focus during endurance tasks, and support the ability of Neurones (specialist Brain cells) to improve memory-retention and Neuroplasticity (the ability the Brain has to adapt and learn).
Flavanols may also help regulate mood stability (risk-minimising anxiety and depression) and hypertension (chronically high blood pressure); both of which are potential risk-factors for cognitive decline and Dementia.
There is also a suggestion that 75%+ cacao content dark chocolate may be more beneficial when fortified with certain other food items; berries, nuts, spices (seek professional guidance on the latter) being amongst the researched fortification options. So if dentition and palate permit, food-combining may add an extra nutrient bioavailability boost to your dark chocolate.
(So the well-known chocolate manufacturers were on the right track with their ‘fruit & nut’ chocolate bars … but sadly using the wrong cacao potency of their chocolate.)
In terms of its innate nutrients, dark chocolate is also rich in Fibre, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc; all of which are beneficial for whole-body health. So dark chocolate in moderation is seemingly a win-win for Brain & body!
I have just one note of chocolatey caution; try to prioritise buying chocolate from a smaller-scale artisan source. This is because the larger conglomerate chocolate manufacturers may not be so discerning in their cocoa bean processing due to a mass-market production commitments. And whilst the smaller artisan producers may be more expensive, this may be because they can be more selective with the Farms they source their cocoa beans from, their manufacturing processes (i.e. what they are able to sift-out from amongst bean collection), and their relatively smaller production lines and sales volume meaning they have to charge a bit of a manufacturing premium. Therefore what I typically recommend with treat foods such as dark chocolate is to invest as much as you can economically afford, and enjoy the item sparingly-and-appreciatively.
So, how can we simply & sustainably introduce dark chocolate into our lives for Easter and beyond? Here are four chocolatey Brain health Nutr’isms you could try to consistently establish that may slowly-but-surely support your health, healthspan and Brainspan.
1. One-two squares of dark chocolate is a recommended daily portion size.
2. Ensure your chocolate-of-choice is at least 75% cacao content, (strive to go for higher cacao if you can manage it). This percentage (and greater) contains less refined sugar and contains relevant relative quantities of the beneficial minerals and phytonutrients to support Brain health and function.
3. Foods to combine with dark chocolate include dried fruits/berries and nuts (allergy & dentition permitting).
4. If you struggle with the bitter taste of dark chocolate and eating it standalone is not palatable for you, why not grate it onto other foods? Nice, simple (albeit interesting but give them a go anyway … manufacturers flavour ‘junk foods’ with much worse!) starting points include grating a square of dark chocolate onto ½ an avocado, yoghurt, oats/porridge, pasta & rice dishes-or-sauces, or soups & stews (just like you would with parmesan cheese).
Happy dark chocolatey Easter!
Please note that these are just a few general recommendations; they are not personalised and they are not tailored to include recommendations for any existing health imbalances or medical conditions. In these cases, if you have a health or medical condition that needs specific nutritional management and requirements, please consult a medical professional and/or a Nutritionist/Dietician expert.
And remember; if you are taking any medications always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist as well as your Doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes. This blog post is written for educational purposes only and in reference to ‘food’. It is NOT advocating taking dietary supplements. It is very important to please always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist and your Doctor before introducing any dietary supplements into your health regime as these qualified professionals will be able to offer personalised recommendations.
If Brain, cognitive and/or memory are issues which you are struggling with and you want to discover the inspiring & sustainable diet & lifestyle programmes offered by Nutritional Therapy, get in touch via the Contact Me page on this website, or directly on info@eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk for more information about 1:2:1 Consultations with Kate at Eat Drink Think Nutrition®
In the meantime, don’t forget Eat, Drink, Think Nutrition and spare a thought (no pun intended) for your Brain health. Losing your Brain power can be even more devastating to you, and those around you, than losing an aspect of your physical health, so why wouldn’t you start to look after your Brain ASAP since diet and lifestyle modifications actioned NOW could save a lot of distress and heartbreak later in life.
—————
REFERENCES
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04378.x
doi: 10.3390/antiox11071353
doi: 10.1177/09727531231195683
doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34136
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76160-9
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24430
doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.10.017
https://zoe.com/learn/dark-chocolate-health-benefits?srsltid=AfmBOoo2oE721KiYfKhxYOmXKMq-PfrDzzRiL14meqWctcWtBxuxModR
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286321002746
