Studies Tout Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols

Duesseldorf, Germany & HERSHEY, Pa.--New research sponsored by two chocolate companies suggests consumption of cocoa has antioxidant benefits. According to the new findings, cocoa's healthy effects within the body are due to its content of antioxidant flavanols.

In the first study, researchers orally administered a 100 mg drink containing cocoa flavanols manufactured with Cocoapro®, a patented process from chocolate manufacturer Mars Inc., to 11 smokers in a randomized double-blind crossover format. On the first day of administration, the flavanol content of the drink was high (176 to 185 mg), and on the second day the flavanol content of the drink was low (less than 11 mg). There were significant increases in circulating nitric oxide (NO) at 2 hours after ingestion of the higher-flavanol drink, whereas there was no significant increase in NO levels after administration of the lower-flavanol drink. The researchers concluded the circulating pool of bioactive NO and endothelium-dependent vasodilation is acutely increased in smokers following the oral ingestion of cocoa flavanols, noting the increase in the circulating NO pool may contribute to beneficial vascular health effects of flavanol-rich food. The study appeared in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology www.cardiosource.com/jacc.html (46, 7:1276-1283, 2005).

According to a release from Mars Inc., the study was not designed to investigate whether flavanols could protect smokers, but was conducted on smokers due to their characteristically abnormal blood vessel responses, possibly related to impairments in how NO sends signals to their blood vessel endothelia. This impaired endothelial function is a marker for increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

"While the long-term benefits of such improvements remain to be established, we believe that one exciting outcome of this study is the demonstration that flavanol-rich cocoa can significantly improve an important marker of cardiovascular health in a population with an established cardiovascular risk factor," said Malte Kelm, M.D., one of the researchers who conducted the study. "This raises the possibility that a potential new agent for the prevention and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease may emerge from additional research."

In the second study, funded by The Hershey Co. and presented at Cornell University's Functional Foods, Bioactive Compounds and Human Health Conference, the researchers found "all products" containing natural cocoa have flavanol antioxidants, and the level of antioxidants in commonly available chocolate products is proportional to the amount of cocoa in the products, according to Hershey.

Researchers measured the antioxidant activity of three mainstream brands of cocoa, baking chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and chocolate syrup. The products were analyzed at Brunswick Laboratories, an independent research laboratory, and at Cornell University. The results suggested the antioxidant power of the products tested depended on their natural cocoa content. The highest flavanol levels were found in natural cocoa powder, followed by unsweetened baking chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and chocolate syrup.
"The results are in: the more natural cocoa, the more flavanol antioxidants," said Debra Miller, senior nutrition scientist with Hershey. "This study helps clear up the confusion surrounding flavanols in chocolate by showing the clear link between natural cocoa levels and flavanol antioxidant levels. These findings are particularly important for consumers, given the growing interest in the antioxidant benefits of cocoa and dark chocolate."

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