25 gm of Cocoa Powder a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

The health benefits of dark chocolate have long been touted, but new research presented at last week’s meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas finally explains why.

Researchers showed that certain bacteria in the stomach consume the chocolate and produce anti-inflammatory compounds beneficial to the heart. When these compounds decrease inflammation in the cardiovascular tissue, it also reduces the long-term risk of stroke.
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It’s well known that cocoa products contain plenty of naturally-occurring antioxidants, but this study is the first to clarify what happens when they enter the lower gastrointestinal tract.

“The cocoa powder polyphenolic polymers and fiber are changed by bacteria in the colon to produce smaller molecules, which enter the bloodstream and protect the cardiovascular tissue,” says lead researcher John W. Finley, PhD, professor of Food Science and director of Food Innovation at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La.

Finley and colleagues tested three cocoa powders using a series of modified test tubes that modeled a human digestive tract and simulated normal digestion. Then, using human fecal bacteria, they subjected the non-digestible materials to anaerobic fermentation.

“We have demonstrated that complex polyphenols and fiber in cocoa powder can be broken down to small molecules that protect cardiovascular tissue and promote colon health,” Finley says.

Cocoa powder contains several antioxidant compounds, such as catechin and epicatechin, as well as a small amount of dietary fiber. Though these components are poorly digested and absorbed, good gut bacteria work on them when they enter the colon.

“It is most likely good to consume 25 gm of cocoa powder per day,” Finley says. “At this point, it is a guess, but it surely will not hurt and could result in some protection of cardiovascular cells against inflammation. The fiber in the cocoa also is good for the health of your colon.”

Once funding is obtained, the researchers plan to conduct clinical trials to validate their model system studies.

—Colleen Mullarkey

Reference

Finley J, Moore M, Goita, M. Impact of the microbiome on cocoa polyphenolic compounds. 2014 National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, Dallas.