Does cocoa act as brain food?
(kpho.com)
Updated: 2006-07-28 15:30
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Two new studies suggest that eating cocoa appears to enhance blood flow in the brain, which could improve how it functions.
The studies of compounds in cocoa called flavanols appeared in the Journal of Cadiovascular Pharmacology.
The improvements in blood flow were seen in all age groups and could assist the treatment of illnesses such as dementia and stroke.
One study found that women had increased blood flow to the brain after drinking a cocoa beverage. In a second study, elderly men experienced similar effects.
Previous research suggests that cocoa flavanols are linked to important heart health benefits, according to a news release from Mars Inc.