Fans of dark chocolate, there’s no need to feel guilty now when you indulge on your favorite snack!  It looks like you’ll reap a whole lot of health benefits from this superfood, besides boosting your brain health!

New studies shed light on how dark chocolate might improve our brain health and strengthen our immune system.

What is it in dark chocolate that might be beneficial?

Cocoa contains compounds called flavanols which are a type of polyphenol. Polyphenols are naturally produced by plants and so are found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, tea, coffee, wine, grains and chocolate.

Dark chocolate with high concentrations of cacao can have positive effects on stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity, according to two new studies.

The research presented at the Experimental Biology 2018 annual meeting in San Diego suggests chocolate with a minimum of 70% cacao can support cognitive, endocrine and cardiovascular health.

Lee Berk, main investigator on the studies and an associate dean of research affairs at Loma Linda University’s School of Allied Health Professions, said participants were given a 48-gram bar of dark chocolate at the beginning of one experiment and then ate a piece of dark chocolate every two hours they were awake, for several days.

Blood tests revealed the chocolate influenced gene activity, increased anti-inflammatory agents and increased infection-fighting cells.

The team found that eating the dark chocolate led to a beneficial increase in gamma frequency in the cerebral cortical regions of the brain, which are the areas involved in memory and sensory processing.

The study authors wrote that this superfood of 70 percent cacao enhances neuroplasticity for behavioral and brain health benefits.

Further research by Berk’s team examined how brain activity reacted to dark chocolate consumption. Gamma waves recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG) suggested the treat could positively impact brain function, such as cognitive function and creativity, even two hours after eating it.

These studies show us that the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity, and other beneficial effects.

High in Antioxidants
In another study, it was found that cocoa contained more antioxidants than other fruits they tested, including some antioxidant powerhouses like blueberries and Acai berries!

Dark Chocolate May Help Lower Cholesterol
Studies have shown that consumption of cocoa can reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raise levels of “good” cholesterol, potentially lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dark chocolate improves several important risk heart disease risk factors. It lowers lipid profiles and platelet reactivity, lowers the susceptibility of bad LDL to oxidative damage, while increasing good HDL.

Conclusion
Dark chocolate is high in calories (150-170 calories per ounce) and can contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess.  Obviously, if you eat tons you won’t be doing any good for your health, but eating chocolate in moderation can have some positive health benefits.  To keep weight in check, limit portions to 1 ounce of dark chocolate daily, or about 150 calories.