The cocoa bean from the Theobroma cacao tree was first harvested, processed and enjoyed by the indigenous people of Mesoamerica around 1,500 years ago. Even today, the local people shell, ferment, roast and grind the beans to make cocoa based drinks.

Cocoa arrived in Europe in the 1500’s and is now enjoyed world-wide, largely in the form of chocolate, but cocoa powder is also used as an ingredient in many foods and drinks including our own Rich Cocoa Superflora Shakes and Gut-friendly Hot Chocolates. There are three types of chocolate, white, milk and dark chocolate, with increasing amounts of cocoa bean derived ingredients.

Indigenous people have long believed in the health promoting benefits of the cocoa bean, and there is now a growing body of scientific and medical research to back this up. Cocoa first raised the interest of medical researchers after they observed the good health and long lifespans of the Guna (or Kuna) people from the San Blas islands off Panama. The islanders consume over 3 cups of cocoa a day. They have low blood pressure and don’t experience a rise in blood pressure as they age. They also have much lower rates of diabetes and are less likely to die from heart disease and cancer compared to people in Western Societies. Guna people that have moved to mainland Panama experience much higher rates of high blood pressure than those that have remained on the islands.

But why? Whilst other diet and lifestyle factors may play a part, recent research has indicated that the potent mix of nutrients found in the cocoa the islanders drink is highly beneficial to health. The same is true for dark chocolate. Other types of chocolate have less cocoa bean content and so offer fewer benefits.

So what exactly is it in the cocoa or dark chocolate that is so beneficial? Biochemists, nutritionists and medical scientists have looked at many of the biochemicals in cocoa and chocolate to understand their effects on the body. The strongest evidence is for beneficial effects on cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) health, and it appears that four components are particularly important:

Written by: Dr Mary Webberley, Chief Scientific Officer at Noisy Guts. Mary has a background in biology, with two degrees from the University of Cambridge and post-doctoral research experience. She spent several years undertaking research into the diagnosis of IBS and IBD. She was the winner of the 2018 CSIRO Breakout Female Scientist Award.