Other sources include grapes and berries, red wine, black and green tea, soy beans, pomegranates, olive oil, fish oil, and garlic ( 217). When the seasons start to grow chillier — and the infatuation with pumpkin spice begins to fade — warm beverage lovers are game-on for a steamy and creamy mug of hot chocolate.

Further, the degree of acute FMD response after cocoa ingestion on each day was maintained, so that both fasting and post-cocoa ingestion measures were higher on successive days. A sweet gist is that you can level up your cacao drink and improve its quality for better health and performance by adding certain ingredients like mushroom extracts. I don’t think that using plant-based milks or creamers makes much of a difference in how healthy it is,” she says.Stearic acid is unusual in that it does not elevate serum lipid levels to the same degree that other saturated fatty acids do ( 112). In appropriate doses, flavanols—especially catechin and epicatechin—in cocoa increase blood flow to the skin, improve skin hydration and thickness, and protect skin from the sun’s damaging effects. They mention that it has a great rich taste, makes a lovely hot drink and that the health benefits are remarkable.

Other observational studies have identified a number of positive health outcomes associated with cocoa or chocolate consumption.Cassidy said: “Compared to a 50-gram chocolate bar, you'd get the same number of flavonols in three apples, tablespoon of cocoa powder, three small glasses of red wine, or a large mug of tea. You can improve the quality of your cacao drink for better health and cognitive performance with natural ingredients from the biohacker’s recipe recommended in this piece.

A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder contains more iron than milk chocolate, but less than solid dark chocolate (0. The Kuna Indians of the San Blas islands of Panama consume an average of three 10-ounce cups of cocoa beverage daily, ingesting approximately 1880 mg of procyanidins ( 39, 162). Kaplan-Meier curves for cumulative event-free survival associated with endothelial function measured as flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) (lowest tertile<2%, highest tertile>6.Dietary magnesium, copper, potassium, and calcium all reduce risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis ( 248).

Further analysis revealed a significant difference in event rate between those with the most severe FMD abnormality (tertile 1) and the combined group of second and third tertiles (log-rank p=0. Endothelial NO is produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which converts L-arginine to L-citrulline in the presence of necessary cofactors ( 143).Combine all ingredients in a small pot and warm over medium-low heat, whisking well to evenly dissolve. The petition requested that the FDA review a qualified health claim about the relationship between the consumption of cocoa flavanols in high flavanol cocoa powder and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Chocolate revives the drooping spirits and cheers those ready to faint, expelling sorrow, trouble, care, and perturbations of the mind, is an ambrosia… it cannot be too much praised. Please always read the labels, warnings, and directions provided with the product before using or consuming a product.