Study: Chocolate May Boost Brain Power in Elderly

As if chocolate connoisseurs needed another reason to indulge, a study published in Neurology has found that drinking two cups of hot chocolate may help the elderly maintain brain health and sharp thinking skills. Study participants drank two cups of hot cocoa every day for 30 days. Those who had impaired blood flow at the beginning of the study saw an 8.3 percent increase in blood flow to working areas of the brain. There was no improvement for those whose blood flow was normal at the start of the study. Those with initial blood flow impairments also scored better on memory tests at the end of the study; there was no change in those with regular blood flow. “More work is needed to prove a link between cocoa, blood flow problems and cognitive decline,” said the author of an editorial accompanying the study. “But this is an important first step that could guide future studies.” Click here to read the full story.