High-flavanol cocoa supplementation may have positive impacts on facial wrinkles and skin elasticity in photo-aged Korean women, says a new study from scientists from Seoul National University.
Seattle-based Theo Chocolate has launched the first functional ingredient from its subsidiary Theo Innovations. Called Violetamine, the product is an extract of cocoa high in polyphenols and theobromine.
Special edition: Inside Europe's food supplement markets
A population-level analysis of polyphenol intakes in Poland has revealed that coffee, tea and chocolate contribute around 75% of the polyphenols consumed in the country.
Epicatechin is the gold standard cocoa flavanol says a medical doctor, but Barry Callebaut claims all flavanols have a positive effect on cardiovascular health.
The chocolate market will develop a marked divide between cheaper, lower quality products and higher end offerings that use cocoa blends allowing consumers to distinguish aromatic notes like a wine-tasting, says Cémoi’s R&D chief.
Superheated steam roasting retains more phenols and flavonoids during cocoa processing than the conventional roasting method, according to research by Universiti Sains in Malaysia.
The meteoric emergence of cocoa flavanols as the new 'super ingredient' continues, with many new scientific publications focused on the potential health effects of these special compounds. As part of this special edition, we take a look at some...
Cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate may keep you calmer and content but no link has been established with enhanced cognitive performance, according to a study funded by Barry Callebaut.
Diabetes UK says there are not enough cocoa flavanols in chocolate to benefit diabetics after a study found that a cocoa extract could help people with the condition regulate insulin levels.
The potential heart health benefits of dark chocolate may be only partly linked to the flavanol content, with white chocolate - devoid of such compounds - also offering potential cardiovascular benefits, says a new study.
Positive science results are helping cocoa flavonols make progress in the market, and resolving issues around supply, around sustainability, and even around basic analytical methods could open the field of opportunity even wider, experts say.
Chocolate can improve brain functioning and mood, according to scientific review assessing over 100 previous studies linking chocolate to health benefits.
Biotech firm Lycotec has developed an ingredient that it claims can harness the health potential in both dark and milk chocolate and lead to products with anti-ageing, injury recovery and increased physical performance properties.
New methods for measuring the stereochemical forms of flavanols in cocoa that could determine whether health benefits can be derived have moved a step closer, say Mars.
People who consume chocolate frequently may have lower body mass index (BMI) values, suggests ‘intriguing’ data from the University of California, San Diego.
New insights into the distinct roles of roles of flavanols and procyanidins in the human body could provide a fundamental scientific basis for understanding their potential benefits for heart health, say Mars.
Flavonoid compounds in cocoa may reduce inflammation associated with arthritis in lab animals, says a new study with possible implications for joint health.
Consuming polyphenol-rich dark chocolate or cocoa products may reduce total and LD cholesterol levels, but has no effect on HDL levels, according to a meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials.
The potential health benefits of cocoa polyphenols may be linked to their anti-inflammatory potential, suggests data from a human study from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
Alkali processing causes a loss of up to 98 per cent on epicatechin in the final chocolate based product, claims Hershey company based scientists evaluating the effect of conventional production methods of cocoa beans on flavanols levels.
Ensuring consumers reap the benefits from the beneficial compounds in cocoa may mean formulating products with more sugar, suggests a new study from Kraft.
The levels of antioxidant activity and flavan-3-ol levels in chocolate products are stable over a controlled shelf life of one year, according to a new study.
Drinks or high sugar-containing chocolate may be the best formulations for boosting antioxidant levels in the blood, suggests a new study from Kraft Foods.
Alkalising cocoa beans reduces the total flavanoid content by
two-thirds, reducing the antioxidant potential of the product,
according to new research.
Scientists in Spain are reporting development of a new process to
make cocoa powder with eight times the levels of some flavonoids
linked to chocolate's beneficial effects.
The world's leading cocoa processor Barry Callebaut said yesterday
that it had new evidence to support the anti-cancer and anti-ageing
benefits of its healthy chocolate Acticoa.
Eating dark chocolate improves glucose metabolism and decreases
blood pressure, reveals fresh research, bringing new leverage to
the market potential of chocolate for food makers,writes Lindsey
Partos.
Another study on chocolate finds that the dark variety decreases
blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy people,
lending weight to its potential for heart health.
Evidence backing the health promoting benefits of chocolate
continues to mount, bringing dynamism to slacking sales, reports
Lindsey Partos. Researchers from Spain have discovered that
polyphenols found in cocoa extract influence...
