Cocoa and stem cells

Did you know that cocoa does more than just satisfy your sweet tooth?

This is what Dr. William Li was mentioning; studies that show the high flavanol content of cocoa can actually stimulate your stem cells, helping them repair and rejuvenate your body. The FDA announced, in February 2023, a qualified health claim for cocoa flavanols in high flavanol cocoa powder and the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk. ¹

Dr. Li isn't saying you should binge on chocolate, but that it's the powerful compounds it contains that make all the difference.

So studies have been done to show that the flavanols in coconut stimulate stem cells that come out of the bone marrow, like bees in a hive, into the bloodstream. They go looking for the area that needs repair. So we can eat foods like cocoa that are high in flavanols to help the stem cells work a little better.

How do we know this function actually works in people? Clinical studies have been done with high-flavanol cocoa to show that in men in their sixties with heart disease, for example, they could have just two cups of hot dark chocolate a day for a month and they doubled the amount of stem cells in their bloodstream and their circulation improved measurably. A Cosmos study demonstrated that cocoa consumption lowers the risk of cardiovascular death. ²

“Very limited scientific evidence suggests that consuming cocoa flavanols in a high-flavanol cocoa powder, which contains at least 4% naturally preserved cocoa flavanols, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

This qualified health claim specifically applies only to cocoa flavanols contained in high flavanol cocoa powder and foods containing high flavanol cocoa powder. The claim does not apply to regular cocoa powder, foods containing regular cocoa powder, or other food products made from cocoa beans, such as chocolate.

A body of studies suggests a positive effect of cocoa polyphenols on memory and executive function . ³

References:

1. https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-announces-qualified-health-claim-cocoa-flavanols-high-flavanol-cocoa-powder-and-reduced-risk

2. Sesso HD, Manson JE, Aragaki AK, Rist PM, Johnson LG, Friedenberg G, Copeland T, Clar A, Mora S, Moorthy MV, Sarkissian A, Carrick WR, Anderson GL; COSMOS Research Group. Effect of cocoa flavanol supplementation for the prevention of cardiovascular disease events: the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Jun 7;115(6):1490-1500. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqac055. PMID: 35294962; PMCID: PMC9170467. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9170467/pdf/nqac055.pdf

3. Barrera-Reyes PK, de Lara JC, González-Soto M, Tejero ME. Effects of Cocoa-Derived Polyphenols on Cognitive Function in Humans. Systematic Review and Analysis of Methodological Aspects. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2020 Mar;75(1):1-11. doi:10.1007/s11130-019-00779-x. PMID: 31933112.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11130-019-00779-x

Maison Jacynthe disclaims all liability. All information contained on this page is not intended to replace justified allopathic treatment or to disregard the expertise of the medical profession. It is up to each individual to take charge of their own health, to inform themselves, and to make the necessary changes to improve their condition. Therapeutic supervision by a qualified health professional is obviously recommended.