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Health Become smarter thanks to chocolate
- Good news for those with a sweet tooth: Chocolate lovers are smarter
Chocolate is sometimes called a "sweet sin" because it can lead to obesity when consuming more. But on the one hand chocolate is healthier than expected and on the other hand it seems to make sense, as researchers have now found out.
Chocolate can also be good for your health
For a long time, chocolate had a reputation for being unhealthy and leading to overweight and obesity when consumed heavily. In recent years, however, scientific research has shown positive effects that can be achieved by eating the popular sweets. For example, a research team from Aberdeen (Scotland) reported in the journal "Heart" on a healthy heart through chocolate last year. Accordingly, one can lower his heart attack and stroke risk by the regular consumption of the popular candy. It also makes chocolate happy and protects against stress. And now an international study has been published, which shows that chocolate also seems smart.
Chocolate is healthier than often thought. According to a new study, she may even be smart. (Image: picsfive / fotolia.com) Subjects performed better in intelligence tests
As part of their study, scientists from the University of South Australia, the University of Maine, and the Luxembourg Institute of Health evaluated data from 968 study participants aged 23 to 98 years. Their results were published in the journal "Appetite". Researchers report that subjects who ate chocolate at least once a week performed significantly better in intelligence tests than those who never or rarely resorted to the candy. The chocolate lovers were better at spatial and abstract thinking. Her working memory also made much more. The scientists suspect that the better performances are due to the flavonoids contained in chocolate.
Important phytochemicals
It has long been known that these phytochemicals protect the body. Various studies have attributed the flavonoids of dark chocolate a very health-promoting effect. For example, in the journal "Nature Neuroscience" it was reported that memory can be improved by cocoa. The experts blamed flavonoids on this as well. And Canadian researchers reported years ago that flavonoids positively affect brain function - at least in aquatic snails. In the journal "Journal of Experimental Biology" they wrote about clever snails with chocolate.
No causal relationship detected
However, the current study also has some weaknesses. For example, the researchers had no data on what kind of chocolate had been consumed and there was no information on the portion size. And while scientists have shown a link between improving cognitive performance and chocolate consumption, this does not necessarily prove that chocolate makes you smart. According to the experts, no "causal relationship between the consumption of chocolate and cognitive performance" can be drawn. Further research is needed. (Ad)