Many of us have heard that chocolate is very good for the brain. Even a small piece of tile is enough to improve memory and concentration, which means that you can successfully pass an exam or an important report. About which chocolates are most useful for the brain and why, you will learn from this article.

What does chocolate do to us?

To the question of whether chocolate is healthy, you can answer with firm certainty that yes. Dark dark chocolate is considered the most useful, since it contains the largest amount of natural cocoa beans.

It is noteworthy that during the Second World War, it was this confectionery product that was included in the diet of American soldiers. Bars with a similar recipe can be seen today on the shelves of supermarkets - these are the famous Hershey's bars.

To understand how chocolate affects the brain, scientists from around the world have conducted various experiments. As a result of the experiments, some curious facts were clarified.

• Improved cognitive performance
  The ability to learn and good concentration is higher in those people who regularly consume chocolate in moderation. This is due to the flavonoids contained in cocoa beans. Even with chronic lack of sleep and overwork, this product allows you to activate brain activity and show good results in exams. In addition, flavonoids, when regularly taken into the body, can be considered a prophylactic against the development of dementia and other age-related changes in the brain.
• Prevention of premature cell aging
  Chocolate is good for the brain due to its high content of antioxidants, which protect against the effects of free oxygen molecules. The effect of such molecules on the body is very destructive. Just as with age, wrinkles appear in a person, nerve cells become unusable. It is cocoa beans that neutralize the harm of oxygen molecules, prolonging the life of cells.
• Mood boost
  Chocolate bar in a moment of sadness and irritability helps to restore a cheerful outlook on life. This happens due to the release of hormones of happiness - endorphins. The feeling of joy and euphoria quickly replaces sadness, and the person feels happier. Thanks to the complex substance phenylethylamine contained in cocoa beans, sweet teeth even have a feeling of falling in love, since the effect of the substance on the brain while eating dessert is similar to meeting a loved one.
• Memory improvement
  Dark chocolate helps the brain to improve short-term memory and even increases mental capacity in older people. It does this by increasing blood flow to the brain. British scientists have proven that during the first 2-3 hours after eating a confectionery, memory, concentration, reaction speed improve, quick wit increases in sweet tooth. That is why it is recommended to eat some high-quality chocolate before the exam in order to get the brain to work actively.

How to use it

Despite such an impressive effect from the use of this popular confectionery, you should not regard it as a panacea. Mastering new complex activities, reading popular science literature, talking to intellectuals - all this will have a better effect on the state of your brain than daily consumption of chocolate bars while watching a frivolous series.

Also pay attention to the quality and type of product used. It should be good dark chocolate in reasonable doses (several slices). Otherwise, a slight improvement in cognitive abilities will be blocked by the risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

Moderate consumption of chocolate, studies show, can lead to increased brain activity, protect against heart disease and improve your mood. But it's not so easy with chocolate. He can be dangerous too.

What does chocolate contain

Ever since the Mayans and Aztecs began making chocolate about three thousand years ago by mixing cocoa beans with water and pepper, there have been discussions about the health effects of chocolate.

The Swedish scientist Carl von Linn called chocolate the food of the gods, and in the 19th century, chocolate was even sold in pharmacies as a medicine to strengthen strength and vigor. Today, chocolate is the joy of children and adults, but few people know that it contains harmful substances.

In addition to grated cocoa beans and cocoa butter, a chocolate bar contains an alkaloid - theobromine, which is similar in chemical composition to caffeine. It is he who causes the excitation of the heart muscle, but theobromine is also a toxic substance.

Fortunately, the human metabolism is too fast for theobromine to be absorbed, but our smaller brothers may well suffer from it - this is especially dangerous for horses, dogs and cats. Theobromine poisoning is often fatal, so you should never feed your pets chocolate.

In addition to the ingredients that are indicated on the packaging, chocolate may contain bad impurities, especially? if it's cheap. It can be palm or coconut oils. And in the course of recent experiments in dark chocolate, they found ochratoxin, which is dangerous to humans.

Other studies point to higher levels of harmful cadmium in dark chocolate. However, chocolate poses the greatest danger to obese people and diabetics.

Chocoholism

Everyone who has ever tasted chocolate notes that the pleasure caused by this delicacy wants to be repeated. Scientists have previously suggested that chocolate may be addictive due to the substance andanamide, which has an effect similar to that of marijuana. In addition, chocolate stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness. Doses of caffeine and theobromine, psychostimulants, have a positive effect on performance and creative activity. But is chocolate a drug?

Recent studies show that the effect of chocoholism is psychological rather than chemical. There are more than 500 substances in chocolate, and it is rather difficult to say how they interact and whether they cancel each other out. But the combination of pleasant texture, taste, sweetness, aroma, make all human organs of perception work at full capacity.

A kind of synesthesia gives an increase in the overall emotional impression of eating chocolate - if it were just sweet, like sugar, a person would not experience such delight. In addition, it is known that chocolate contains a lot of calories, fats and sugar, and therefore there is an unspoken ban on its immoderate consumption. It is precisely because of this taboo that a person gets additional pleasure, just as it happens with smokers.

Is chocolate an aphrodisiac?

Stimulation of the release of endorphins and serotonin - the hormones of happiness - is one of the most attractive virtues in chocolate. However, besides this, chocolate also contains phenylethylamine and phenamine, substances that are produced by the human brain during sexual arousal.

Research conducted by scientists in Milan showed that subjects who consumed chocolate received more satisfaction from sex. Chocolate affects men and women differently, specifically in areas of the brain known as pleasure zones.

Effect on the brain

Chocolate contains a lot of magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, B vitamins. Magnesium and potassium are natural stimulants of the nervous system. Some studies show that chocolate has positive effects on brain function, in particular, improving memory, increasing alertness, helping to cope with increased irritability - and it also improves mood.

Brain activity is stimulated by flavanol, which activates active blood flow to the brain. Chocolate, naturally containing flavanol, helps blood reach areas of the brain that are responsible for memory and reaction. However, most of the flavanol is destroyed by heat treatment of cocoa beans, therefore, the effect of eating chocolate will not be too fast and stunning. It should be noted that flavanol is contained in dark chocolate, and milk chocolate will not cause any effect.

Chocolate is a source of flavonols, which are able to support the cognitive functions of the brain. In a recent , published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, Italian scientists traced the link between flavonols and brain activity during chocolate consumption. They found that after eating chocolate, the participants in the experiment improved their memory and brain processing of visual information. Women who ate some chocolate after a sleepless night did not lose the ability to remember information and perform tasks accurately, which is usually problematic with lack of sleep.

In older people, brain function improved after long-term regular consumption of small amounts of chocolate (from 5 to 30 days). They have increased the speed of memorizing information, improved attention and processing of verbal information.

Michelle Ferrara

one of the review authors, University of L'Aquila, Italy

The flavonols in cocoa are particularly beneficial for older adults' cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and blood flow to the brain. Regular consumption of cocoa and chocolate can have beneficial effects on cognitive functioning over time. However, there are potential side effects of eating chocolate: this is usually due to its calorie content and some of its inherent chemical compounds - caffeine and theobromine. Sugar and milk in chocolate can also have unpleasant side effects. But eating a small amount of quality dark chocolate will only benefit you.

Chocolate is the most delicious, fragrant and favorite treat for many of us.. Of course, in large quantities it can be harmful to the figure, but the beautiful half of chocolate lovers tries to forget about this so as not to spoil the pleasure, and, I must say, they do it right! After all, besides this, chocolate is also very, very useful.

However, today we will talk about how chocolate affects brain function. It is often said that chocolate promotes higher activity and is a good remedy for lack of sleep. This is true.

Moreover, this is confirmed not only by chocolate lovers, who discovered this property of their favorite dessert in practice, but also by respected researchers from the Reading Institute in England.

They did a very interesting test.

30 men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 agreed to this experiment, and this is what happened.

Their thought processes worked within the average range, none of them had any special intellectual inclinations or supernatural abilities.

So they were offered 40-50 grams of chocolate to track the effect of a fragrant dessert on brain activity.

It turned out that during the consumption of dark chocolate, their mental abilities increased by approximately 62–67%, which not only surprised, but also greatly pleased both the researchers and the participants in the experiment.

This effect lasted for about an hour., after which it began to gradually decrease and in three and a half hours the intellectual activity of the children became the same, exactly the same as before the experiment.

After some time, they were offered to taste the so beloved by many milk chocolate. And then it's time to get upset for those who love this sweet milk delicacy - the same portion of milk chocolate raised brain activity only by 20–25%, and The effect lasted less than two hours., after which the indicator of mental activity of the experiment participants returned to their previous positions.

On the one hand - the catastrophic injustice of nature, but on the other - everything in a jiffy explained scientifically.

Researched from Reading explained that brain activity is stimulated by increased blood flow to the brain, which is provided by an increase in the amount of flavanol in the body (flavanol is found in cocoa beans). In milk chocolate, these useful particles are much smaller, moreover, they are almost inactive, because they do not like the effects of milk, which is added (albeit in dry form) to each bar of milk chocolate.

During use milk chocolate mental activity increases exclusively thanks to carbohydrates, which also have the ability to stimulate the brain, although their effect is much lower, and for the figure they are, to be honest, dangerous.

However That's not all that scientists from Britain determined.

In addition to mental stimulation, flavanol, which is contained in cocoa, also improves eyesight, providing better blood flow to the retina. However, everything is a little more complicated here - thanks to chocolate, visual acuity does not improve (that is, you will not see further), but it is noticed clear improvement in visual clarity, especially useful in poor visibility– during twilight, in fog or snow.

Want to find a tasty treat that's good for your brain? Chocolate tops all lists of useful products for the body, including it helps to activate brain activity, improves memory and learning ability. Why is it so? Which chocolate is best for the brain?

9 reasons to eat chocolate

Does chocolate improve brain function? This effect has been proven many times. But what is its action? What effect does this delicacy have on the brain? Below you will find 9 reasons that will convince you to eat dark chocolate every day:

1. This is the source of happiness. Eating real chocolate promotes the release of endorphins and tryptophan. These substances dull pain, improve mood and induce a state of happiness. The sweetness also contains phenylethylamine, a substance that has the same effect on the brain as the first love.

Chocolate is the only source of anandamine. This substance is very similar to THC, the main component of marijuana, which provokes a "laughing" effect.

1. The consumption of this product increases blood flow to the brain. This improves memory, increases the speed of decision-making, attentiveness. For older people, eating chocolate can help fight age-related mental decline. In one experiment, when children were given a glass of hot chocolate every day at school, it was proven that this improves short-term memory by 30% and helps them make decisions faster.
2. Its consumption protects against the harmful effects of free radicals. 20% of the oxygen consumed is in the brain, so it is most susceptible to the influence of free radicals (oxygen molecules that act on cells in the same way that oxygen acts on metal, provoking corrosion). An example of the action of free radicals is the darkening of the pulp of cut fruits, such as apples. The antioxidants found in chocolate interfere with negative processes in the brain.
3. Improves memory, concentration, learning ability. This effect is exerted by flavonoids, which accumulate in large quantities in certain parts of the brain, in particular in the hippocampus. Another substance that also improves concentration and improves mood is caffeine. Indeed, it is in chocolate, but in a smaller amount than in coffee, so it will not interfere with sleep.
4. Great way to deal with stress. Calming effect can be achieved due to magnesium. This substance is very necessary for a person, but in our diet, as a rule, it is not enough. Chocolate is one of those foods that contains the most magnesium. That is why many people like to eat chocolates in stressful situations, and it also helps fight insomnia.

Natural chocolate contains theobromine, which is very similar to caffeine. But, unlike his brother, he helps to relax rather than cheer up.

1. Helps to "pacify" the appetite. Unfortunately, this applies only to good dark chocolate; cheap sweets will not be able to satisfy your appetite. It reduces cravings for junk food, making it less painful to switch to a healthy diet. Many people eat it to lose weight. A small portion significantly reduces appetite.

No one knows what exactly causes this effect. Scientists are of the opinion that appetite decreases due to certain psychological aspects, because when all the substances from chocolate were placed in a tablet, this result could not be achieved.

1. Prevention of brain diseases. It is dark chocolate that becomes a great way to deal with age-related problems associated with brain activity. Consuming this treat significantly reduces the susceptibility of cells to stroke. An elderly person will benefit from pampering himself with 50 g of this sweet every day. It can reverse the destruction of brain cells. Also, in those who use this sweetness, insanity is less likely to appear, memory remains the same even in their declining years.

Your child can also benefit from this treat. Having eaten one chocolate bar before a school exam, he will ensure fast brain work and good concentration for at least 2 hours!

1. Helps maintain proper levels of intestinal bacteria. Oddly enough, but the harmonious balance of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestine helps protect the brain from free radicals. These substances do the work of antioxidants, which helps to achieve a similar result. We can say that this product plays the role of probiotics and helps to maintain a stable level of bad and good bacteria.
2. The more chocolate, the smarter. Although it sounds like a joke, scientists have noticed a strange statistic. The higher the country's average consumption, the more Nobel Prize winners there! Such results of the study were published by the respected New England Journal of Medicine. Perhaps this is due to the fact that chocolate improves brain activity, memory, concentration, which helps to learn faster. Another interesting fact: dark chocolate is simply adored by geniuses!

Black or milky?

But how does chocolate affect the brain? Of course, it's all about the cocoa. Its grains contain a substance called flavanol. It stimulates blood flow to the brain and speeds up its activity.

Which chocolate is more beneficial for the brain, milk or black? On this occasion, a whole study was conducted, in which 30 women and men from 18 to 25 years old participated. The level of intelligence of all was approximately the same, and none of them possessed any special abilities.

The experiment began with the fact that everyone was given a piece of dark chocolate (40-50 g) to eat and the reaction of the brain was monitored. On average, the level of mental abilities increased by 62-67%. These results surprised even the researchers themselves. The effect of chocolate lasted about 3-4 hours, the first decline was observed after an hour.

It's all about the flavanol. There is much more of this substance in dark chocolate. Moreover, milk, which is part of the milk bar of the treat, almost completely blocks flavanol particles, and carbons are responsible for increasing brain activity, in the case of milk chocolate.

Flavanol not only stimulates the brain, it can also improve vision due to increased blood flow to the retina. But the question concerns only the clarity of the picture, and not farsightedness. You will see better in the dark, in fog or snow.

Finally

Is chocolate good for the brain? Of course yes! With it, you can stimulate brain activity, cheer yourself up and even improve your eyesight. To achieve a result, it is enough to allow yourself only 40-50 g of this delicacy every day. This amount will not harm the figure, and you will feel happy and full of energy!