Thousands of years ago, native people in Mexico, Central America and the Amazon basin treasured cacao. That’s the tree whose fruit is the source of cocoa and chocolate. In fact, they domesticated it so they would have a reliable supply. (Since cacao beans also served as currency, money did actually grow on trees.) Late in the 20th century, researchers noticed that the Kuna Indians of Panama had naturally low blood pressure. Cocoa plays a starring role in their everyday diet. As a consequence, scientists decided to look at the biological effects of cocoa. Up to now, hundreds of studies have been published on the health effects of cocoa compounds called flavanols.
Cocoa Compounds for Heart Health:
Early on, researchers recognized that these flavanols could help keep blood vessels in shape (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Feb. 2003). Further study revealed that cocoa compounds stimulate the synthesis of nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax and lowers blood pressure (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jan. 24, 2006).
Both young people and seniors reap cardiovascular rewards from cocoa flavanols (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Feb. 19, 2020). Moreover, some studies demonstrate that elderly people maintain better cognitive function as well as healthy blood pressure when they consume high-flavanol drinks (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2015). In such studies, the control group gets drinks low in cocoa compounds. They look and taste similar, but they do not provide the same benefits.
Mars, Incorporated, has been studying the effects of cocoa flavanols throughout the 21st century. Some of its research has focused on how to measure cocoa compounds accurately and how to preserve them in chocolate. On the other hand, it has also focused on clinical studies of cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. Mars has supported research exploring which cocoa compounds are responsible for greater blood vessel flexibility, lower blood pressure and improved blood flow (flow-mediated vasodilation) (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dec. 2018).
Introducing CocoaVia Cardio Health Powder:
CocoaVia has provided the cocoa compounds tested in some of these studies. Based on the results of the research, the brand is increasing the dose of its 100 percent pure Cocoapro© cocoa extract by more than 10 percent. It now offers a two-capsule serving with 500 mg of cocoa flavanols under the name Cardio Health. This is the same dose that was tested in the multi-year COSMOS trial. What’s more, for people who prefer a powder to add to their morning mocha or breakfast smoothies, CocoaVia also has a CocoaVia CardioHealth powder. It too provides 500 mg of cocoa compounds in each serving.
500 mg of cocoa flavanols is much more than you could get by eating dark chocolate, and you don’t have to worry about extra sugar or calories. (Dark chocolate is a very fine dessert or occasional treat, but you might not want to rely on it as an everyday staple. What’s more, you would have a very hard time determining the level of flavanols in your favorite bar.)
Cardio Health Powder Has 500 mg Cocoa Compounds:
Each scoop of CocoaVia Cardio Health Powder contains:
- 500 mg of Cocoa Flavanols (10% more than their previous formula)
- 3 g of Fiber
- 30 mg of naturally occurring caffeine
In addition, the powder dissolves readily, even in a cold beverage. The dark chocolate flavor contains no sugar or gluten and it is vegan. That makes it far healthier than an ordinary powdered cocoa mix for hot chocolate.
A Special Offer:
Researchers can detect the cardiovascular benefits of consuming cocoa compounds within an hour or two. However, for maximum benefit, people should consider getting a daily dose over an extended period of time.
If you are ready to try CocoaVia Cardio Health, either in capsules or as powder, you can now get $5 off all Cardio Health Products. Use the code 2022COSMOS5 when you check out at CocoaVia.com.
Full Disclosure:
CocoaVia supports The People’s Pharmacy radio show and podcasts. Independently, we have long been fascinated by the action of cocoa compounds and how they affect our health. We invite you to click on the links and review the studies we cite. More information is available at CocoaVia.com. If you find this information helpful, please feel free to share it with your favorite people.
