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Boost Brainpower with Sweets
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A dark chocolate bar is heavenly—and healthy, apparently. You already know that eating a square of the sweet stuff can improve your heart health and even help fight off disease, but the latest research says that chocolate’s newest benefit impacts brainpower.
In a recent study out of Northumbria University in the U.K., scientists found that the flavanols in dark chocolate boost blood flow to the brain, and in return, accelerate your mental processing. For instance, study participants given large amounts of flavanols did better when asked to count backwards in groups of three from a random number between 800 and 999 than their counterparts who passed on the treats.
Remember: The higher the percentage of cacao in chocolate, the more flavanols it has. Check the wrapper—70 percent is a solid starting point for cacao content.
About The Author
David Schipper – David began writing for CorePerformance.com in 2008, after spending six years at Men's Health magazine digging up the newest scientific research in health, weight loss, nutrition, muscle and cardiovascular fitness.
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