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Dark Chocolate and the Human Brain

Apr 29, 2011 | By Beth Greenwood
Dark Chocolate and the Human Brain
Photo Credit chocolate bar. image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com

Would Valentine's Day be as exciting if it weren't for chocolate? This delicious dark sweet substance has been popular in desserts, candy and drinks since it was first used by the Maya Indians. Whether wrapped around nuts or caramel, whipped into frosting or simply eaten out of hand, chocolate is many people's favorite flavor. It seems too good to be true, but chocolate also might be good for the brain.

About Chocolate

Chocolate is made from the dried, fermented meat of the cacao bean, the product of a tree called Theobroma cacao. The trees must be grown within 10 to 20 degrees of the equator, which limits cacao farming to West Africa, Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean Islands. Chocolate contains different amounts of chocolate liquor, with bittersweet baking chocolate being simply the hardened liquor and no other additives. Chocolates such as dark chocolate contain varying amounts of liquor, sugar and other substances such as cocoa butter.

Chocolate Compounds

A complex treat, chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals, which helps explain why people and even animals can have such diverse reactions to it; one of these compounds, theobromine, is actually fatal to dogs in small amounts. Many of the substances in chocolate affect the brain. Caffeine, for example, is a well-known brain stimulant found in coffee as well as chocolate. Another stimulant chemical in chocolate is phenylethylamine, chemically related to amphetamines, which also affect the brain. According to Ellen Kuwana, a Neuroscience for Kids staff writer, one research team led by Emmanuelle diTomaso of Harvard University has even found three chemicals in chocolate that act on the brain in a similar fashion to marijuana. Dark chocolate, it seems, contains more of these compounds than other types of chocolate.

Chocolate Research

Research by Dr. Ian McDonald, a professor of metabolic physiology at the University of Nottingham, found that flavanols in cocoa --- also contained in dark chocolate --- increased activity in specific areas of the brain through dilation of blood vessels. The increased blood flow that results from the dilated vessels can be clearly seen with a the imaging technique MRI. The effects of the flavanols can be seen for several hours afterward. According to Dr. McDonald, who presented his research at the 2007 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, this could help fight fatigue or sleep deprivation, and possibly even help with the effects of aging. In other research reported in the "Journal of Proteome Research" in 2009, Sunil Kochhar and a team of scientists found that 1 ½ oz. of dark chocolate each day decreased feelings of stress in healthy human volunteers. Sylvain Doré, Ph.D., associate professor of anesthesiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, published yet another research effort with mice. Doré, writing in the December 2010 issue of the "Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism," found that epicatechin, one of the many chemicals in chocolate, prevented brain damage from a stroke.

Additional Considerations

While chocolate might be a favorite treat, remember that it usually contains sugar and fat, so the calories can add up quickly. And using chocolate to self-medicate --- for example, if you are highly stressed --- might not be the best choice. Any health concerns should be discussed with a health care professional.

References

Article reviewed by Shawn Candela Last updated on: Apr 29, 2011

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