Dark chocolate is known to have many health benefits . In addition, one of the reasons why we like it so much is because it gives us the batteries. But…
Does black chocolate really work to activate us?
This has been asked by a group of researchers from the University of Northern Arizona, who have gone to work to find out.
This study demonstrates that chocolate can increase the brain's characteristics of attention and significantly affect blood pressure levels . Historically, chocolate has been recognized as a vasodilator, which means that it widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure in the long term, but chocolate also contains some powerful stimulants. The researchers wanted to investigate whether people who consume chocolate notice an immediate stimulating effect.
"Chocolate is in fact a stimulant and activates the brain in a very special way" - said Stevens, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Northern Arizona. He also added that "It can increase brain characteristics of attention, and it also significantly affects blood pressure levels."
Black chocolate lifts the mood, but also blood pressure
The study, published in the journal NeuroRegulation, is the first to examine the acute effects of chocolate in terms of its influence on brain care and the first study of chocolate consumption using electroencephalography (EEG) . This technology allows you to take pictures of the brain while a cognitive task is being done and measure brain activity.
Historically, chocolate has been recognized as a vasodilator, which means that it widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure in the long term, but chocolate also contains some powerful stimulants . Stevens said his team wanted to investigate whether people who consume chocolate obtained this stimulating effect immediately.
Stevens and his colleagues conducted the study with 122 participants aged between 18 and 25. Researchers examined EEG levels and the effects of blood pressure after consuming a 60% cocoa candy compared to five control conditions .
The results for participants who consumed chocolate with 60% cocoa showed that the brain was more alert and attentive after consumption. His blood pressure also increased for a short time.
The most interesting results came from one of the control conditions, with the introduction of a chocolate with 60% cocoa that included L-theanine , an amino acid found in green tea that acts as a relaxant. This combination has not been introduced in the market, but the researchers observed very interesting data.
"L-THEANINE IS A REALLY FASCINATING PRODUCT THAT LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE AND PRODUCES WHAT WE CALL ALPHA WAVES IN THE BRAIN, WHICH MAKE US CALM AND PEACEFUL," SAID STEVENS. "WE THINK THAT IF CHOCOLATE ELEVATES BLOOD PRESSURE ACUTELY, AND L-THEANINE REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE, THEN MAYBE L-THEANINE COULD COUNTERACT THE SHORT-TERM HYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF CHOCOLATE."
In the participants who consumed the chocolate content with L-theanine, the researchers recorded an immediate drop in blood pressure. This finding could make it possible to put on the market a chocolate that hypertensives could take without suffering risks to their heart.
Stevens hopes that the results of this study will encourage manufacturers to investigate further and consider the benefits of developing a chocolate bar made with high content in cocoa and L-theanine.
refer to more here : https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150508140302.htm
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150508140302.htm