Study Says Chocolate is Better for Your Brain Than Exercise
As if people need more of an excuse to indulge in chocolate, but if you need one then this might be the best news you have heard in a while. Recent studies have found that chocolate could even be better for your brain than exercise.
A group of scientists from Columbia University and NYU conducted a study showing that chocolate can potentially have more benefits for your brain than exercise. The study, published in the Journal Nature Neuroscience, involved giving a range of daily doses of flavanols extracted from cocoa powder to a group of subjects. Those who received large doses reported improved memory and enhanced blood flow in a key part of the brain.
Of the group of people, half were given flavonol in small amounts while the other half were given a larger dose for a continuously for three months. As a result, the half that were given higher doses were found to have a better memory function score than the ones who were served a lower dose. The same people seemed to gain nothing from the exercise.
Sadly, the downside is the amount of chocolate you would have to consume to replicate the study would be a whole kilogram of unrefined cocoa powder! Sure, you might improve your memory function, but I highly doubt that would be very good for one’s waistline.
But, luckily there is plenty of scientific proof that eating a little bit of dark chocolate is good for you, one ounce a day will help reduce the risk of heart disease. Everything is good in moderation!
Source:
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v17/n12/full/nn.3850.html