Cocoa Bean is a dried and fully fermented brownie pod that enhances diverse tremendous health benefits which reduce your risk of developing blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases. Cocoa, scientifically known as Theobroma cacao has been a powerful food item packed with antioxidants, phytochemicals, minerals, and the building blocks of neurotransmitters.
Interestingly, recent studies have shown that cocoa contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods as the antioxidant effects of cocoa may directly influence insulin resistance and, in turn, reduce the risk for diabetes. It is said that cocoa is most famous for its role in chocolate production. Modern research has revealed that it does indeed contain important compounds that can benefit your health.
In a recent study conducted by Rabia Latif, published in the National Library of Medicine, cocoa helps in weight loss by improving mitochondrial biogenesis. It increases muscle glucose uptake by inserting glucose transporter 4 in the skeletal muscle membrane. Due to its antioxidant properties, cocoa offers neuron protection and enhances cognition and positive mood.
According to Latif, cocoa may have the potential to be used for the prevention/treatment of allergies, cancers, oxidative injuries, inflammatory conditions, anxiety, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance.
Some of the health benefits of cocoa powder to mention a few are, cocoa is rich in polyphenols that promote sound health, reduces high blood pressure by improving nitric oxide levels, lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke, improves blood flow to your brain and brain function, Improves mood and symptoms of depression by various means, flavanols may improve symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, aids weight control in many surprising ways, has cancer protective properties, and easy to include in your diet.
The study further stated that there are no clinical trials, documenting the immune effects of cocoa or cocoa extracts in humans. However, human intervention trials indicate that cocoa favorably affects intermediary factors in cancer progression specifically, markers of antioxidant status.
Overall, more studies suggest that the benefits of moderate cocoa or dark chocolate consumption likely outweigh the risks. These findings noted that although cocoa’s effects on the vascular endothelium occur primarily in the short-term, chronic consumption may result in sustained benefits.
