New research confirms the benefits of cocoa extract
Age-related inflammation, also known as low-level chronic inflammation, is often associated with many dangerous chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In that context, scientists have found a promising direction from cocoa extract.
A study in the Cos CosMOS project (Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study) published in the journal Age and Ageing analyzed more than 598 elderly people who used cocoa supplementation for two years. The results showed a high sensitivity protein C (hsCRP), an important sign of inflammation, reducing an average of 8% per year in the group using cocoa extract.
Not only that, data from more than 21,000 previous CosMOS participants also showed a 27% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a significantly lower number of serious heart events in the group supplemented with cocoa extract.
Flavanol-rich cocoa extract can have clear benefits for heart health, especially in improving inflammation and vascular mechanisms, Howard D. Sesso, ScD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Womens Hospital (USA), co-author of the study, emphasized.
Flavanol in cocoa: the key to preventing inflammation
According to experts, the positive effects of cocoa extract come from the content of flavanol, a natural polyphenol with strong antioxidant properties. They help neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation and support more efficient blood vessel function.
However, not everyone who eats a lot of chocolate will get the necessary amount of flavanol. Industrial processing often significantly reduces this active ingredient. At the same time, regular chocolate contains a lot of sugar, saturated fat and calories, which can have the opposite effect.
The results of the study do not mean we should eat more chocolate, Dr. Lauri Wright, Director of Nutrition Programs at the USF School of Public Health (USA), analyzed. "The important thing is to extract pure cocoa, with controlled flavanol dosage, to bring about effectiveness for cardiovascular health".
She also recommends that before thinking about using supplements, people should prioritize a diet rich in natural flavanols such as lightly processed dark chocolate, berries, green tea, grapes... because they not only provide flavanols but also provide fiber and many other beneficial micronutrients.
How to supplement cocoa appropriately?
According to scientists, flavanol does not work alone but depends on overall nutrition, gut microbiota and other lifestyle factors. Therefore, the effectiveness of disease prevention is only really apparent when flavanol is combined with a balanced diet, lots of green vegetables, fruits and a regular exercise routine.
This is a good sign, but it is not absolute evidence that cocoa extract will prevent all cardiovascular diseases. The important thing is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, while supplements only play a supporting role," Dr. Wright emphasized.
Thus, instead of considering cocoa as a "pharmotherapy", experts recommend considering it as part of an overall strategy for long-term nutrition and cardiovascular health care.
