How chocolate can give your brain a boost

EATING chocolate won’t just make you feel good – it could give your brain a boost.

Men and women of all ages did better in mental tests if they regularly ate chocolate, a study found.

Indulging in the sweet treat once a week seemed to improve everything from their memories to abstract reasoning.

Importantly, chocolate-lovers also did better on a test used to chart the decline towards Alzheimer’s.

Researchers said regular intake may ‘have a beneficial effect on cognitive function and possibly protect against age-related cognitive decline’. They added that, given the limited treatments available for dementia, dietary solutions are an attractive option.

The University of Southern Australia scientists analysed the results of a large US study in which 968 adults gave detailed information about their diet

The men and women, aged 23-98, were also put through a battery of mental tests.

Those who said they had chocolate at least once a week did better on every test than those who rarely or never consumed it, the journal Appetite reports.

The finding held when other factors such as heart health were taken into account. It also applied to those whose overall diet was far from healthy.

Further analysis ruled out the possibility that brainier people were simply more likely to eat chocolate.

It is thought that plant chemicals called flavanols, found in cocoa, are behind the brain boost. Participants were not asked what sort of chocolate they ate but the dark kind is considered better for you because it contains more cocoa flavanols than the milk variety. The caffeine in cocoa may also improve alertness and protect against ageing of the brain.

Previous research has credited flavanols with thinning the blood, lowering the risk of heart disease. However, the Australian researchers said that anyone thinking of self-medicating should bear in mind the calorie content of chocolate.