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A British study suggests that cocoa improves our mental alertness as well as brain oxygenation, thanks to particular organic compounds. Good news for chocolate lovers!
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Drinking hot chocolate in the morning or eating a few squares of chocolate in the afternoon gives your baby a little boost. brain. A study, published on November 24, 2020 in Scientific reports, indicates that a family of molecules organic present in cocoa, but also in other plants, it improves brain oxygenation but also cognitive alertness!
Cocoa bean is rich in polyphenols, cyclic organic molecules known for their power antioxidant, from the Flavanol family. Despite the transformations that the bean to become cocoa, it is estimated that flavanols, more precisely (-) – epicatechin e catechin, are still present in chocolate at a rate of 53.5 milligrams per 100 grams. It’s like a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
A more oxygenated brain …
To certify beneficial effects of flavanols, scientists prepared two cocoa-based drinks: one enriched with flavanols (150 mg of (-) – epicatechin and 35.5 mg of catechin) and another less rich (> 4 mg of both molecules).
These two drinks were randomly distributed to 18 healthy adult men in a double-blind fashion. Part of the group received a placebo instead of the drinks tested. Two hours after drinking the drinks, the scientists performed two experiments.
The first allows to observe the increase in oxygenation of the brain in a condition of hypocapnia, that is when the pressure partial blood in CO2 is below normal values. To achieve hypocapnia, participants performed a breathing exercise in a air composed of 5% CO2. They then monitored the concentration of oxyhemoglobin in the brain.
The same regions (concentrated in the frontal region) are oxygenated in the participants’ brains, regardless of the drink they consumed (rich or low in flavanols), but there is a significant difference in the duration necessary to obtain the same level of oxygenation between the two conditions. For those who consumed the flavanol-enriched drink, it takes about three minutes to reach 90% of maximum brain oxygenation, compared to over four minutes for the other group.
… and more lively!
The researchers then performed a cognitive test called the “Double Stroop” test. This experiment involves testing the brain’s ability to focus and respond to important information despite other information. parasites. Typically, the word “blue” appears in red and the participant must click on the word corresponding to his color, itself written in the correct color (red is written in red) within a given time. This test requires a lot of effort from the brain, and researchers are interested in how much latency it takes the participant to respond.
Illustration of the double Stroop test. © Cambridge Brain Sciences
In the double Stroop test, the flavanol-enriched drink gives a noticeable advantage. People who have consumed it respond to the test faster and more accurately. In the simplest cognitive tests, there are no significant effects. The fastest participants in the Double Stroop Test were also those who achieved 90% of the previously tested maximum brain oxygenation faster.
These results show that the flavanols present in cocoa improve the oxygenation of the brain, but also its cognitive abilities during a complex task. These effects appear about two hours after consuming the drink. The researchers indicate that these effects could be seen with others foods rich in flavanols as the raisins, berries or apples.
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