Benefits of Dark Chocolate: Gut-Brain-Boosting
Dark chocolate is awesome! In this article, we delve into the benefits of dark chocolate on both your gut and brain health. A recent random controlled trial found mood-boosting properties and gut microbiome diversity enhancement from consumption of chocolate with high cocoa percentages. Chocolate is more than just yummy! It is a powerful ally in promoting optimal brain function and overall well-being.
🍫 Chocolate Research and the Gut/Brain Axis
I I couldn’t resist writing to you about my favorite food! And here’s a small taste of why. (pun intended 👅)
This randomized controlled trial studied the impact of chocolate consumption on mood and gut microbiome diversity, and it showed benefits of dark chocolate on both.
The study found that participants who consumed 30 grams (about one ounce) of 85% dark chocolate daily for three weeks experienced a significant decrease in negative emotions and an increase in gut microbial diversity! Surprisingly, individuals who consumed 70% dark chocolate or no chocolate at all (the control group) did not observe the same positive mental state changes.
The researchers conducted a comparative analysis of the microbiomes of the control group and those who consumed 85% dark chocolate. They found a notable rise in the population of butyrate-producing microbial species among the chocolate-consuming participants. Talk about the benefits of dark chocolate on gut health!
🦠 What is Butyrate?
Butyrate, a compound primarily produced by colon microbes, plays a pivotal role in neurology. It contributes to epigenetic expression, regulates neurotransmitters, provides neuroprotection, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, and acts as an energy source for neurons. And neurons are the functional units of our neurology, so butyrate is an important fuel for our neurology.
🧠 What Does This Mean for Our Brain Health?
Consuming dark chocolate, particularly varieties with 85% or higher cocoa content, on a daily basis goes beyond being a delicious treat. Just in this study, we see benefits of dark chocolate as a nourishing agent for both the gut and the brain to improving and promoting optimal function and overall health.
I have so much more to share, so let me know if you’re interested in learning more about how awesome dark chocolate is by commenting below.
You may also like
Phytonutrients for Brain Health
Heal The Gut: 17 Gut-Healing Strategies
Comments
Well I sure have no problem with the advice of adding an ounce of cocoa to my daily practices, but my cats can’t indulge in that practice… So I started thinking about ”butyrate”..
I had seen HMB [hydroxy methyl butyrate] in an ad that sounded like it would maybe be used to keep old skin from getting withered [paraphrasing body building phrases]…
Then google said that the concentrated butyric acid food source was butter but it wasn’t that much of the ounce target… and the vegans were pushing the dietary fiber as a prebiotic the doesn’t get absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, so the stuff reaches the amazing bacteria in your large intestine that DO PRODUCE THE BUTYRATE by chowing down on the fiber…
So maybe my cats will get the butyrate needed from the pumpkin mush occasionally added to their ground-meatmixes…. How does any of that pumpkin fibre fit n with my eating cacao?
Do those lower gut microbes like chocolte with their fiber rotfl …or is there some magic in the stomach or the upper gut to use the cocoa?
I saw what looked like industrial chemistry labs developing varieties of microbes that produce greater amounts of butyrate from fermenting glucose but that was uphill reading, sigh, not promising looking to benefit biology… so now worrying about what could escape those industrial labs…
But the connection to butter sounds more like keto magic… especially since my baking cocoa is nicely fats and protein and happily keto…. wow this butyrate stuff sounds potent… what’s the energy story in the neurons? Looking forward to exploring the insides of neurons… ttys
Yes! A good reason to eat more chocolate!