Health Benefits of Cocoa

Cocoa is one of the most loved flavors on the planet. So much so that it can almost become addictive. The rich intense flavor of cocoa powder is delicious with anything including smoothies, coffee, or oatmeal. Many people even make savory cocoa sauces to put on their food. Other than its incredible flavor, there are many other benefits for cocoa powder. Cocoa has been found to have truly impressive health benefits.

Here are 11 health and nutrition benefits of cocoa powder:

Cocoa is rich in polyphenols.

Polyphenols have significant health benefits, including reduced inflammation and improved cholesterol levels. However, processing cocoa into chocolate or other products can substantially decrease the polyphenol content.

Studies reveal that cocoa is rich in flavanols.

Flavanols lower blood pressure by improving nitric oxide levels and blood vessel function. Cocoa containing between 30–1,218 mg of flavanols can reduce blood pressure by an average of 2 mmHg.

Cocoa can improve blood flow and reduce cholesterol.

Eating up to one serving of chocolate per day may reduce your risk of heart attack, heart failure and stroke.



Flavanols in cocoa can support neuron production, brain function and improve blood flow and supply to brain tissue.

They may have a role in preventing age-related brain degeneration, such as in Alzheimer's disease, but more research is needed.

Cocoa may exert some positive effects on mood and symptoms of depression.

It does so by reducing stress levels and improving calmness, contentment and overall psychological well-being. However, more research is needed.

Cocoa and dark chocolate may reduce your risk of diabetes and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

However, there are some conflicting results in the scientific evidence, so more research is needed.

Cocoa products are associated with a lower weight.

They've even found that the addition of cocoa to your diet may help achieve faster weight loss. However, more research is needed on this topic to determine exactly what type and how much cocoa is ideal.

The flavanols in cocoa have been shown to have promising anti-cancer properties.

Even though scientists have preformed experiments in test-tube and animal studies, data from human trials is lacking.

Cocoa extract has demonstrated some anti-asthmatic properties in animal studies. However, human trials are needed before it can be recommended as a treatment.

Cocoa can promote healthy teeth.

Cocoa fight bacteria that cause cavities, though this does not apply to sugar-containing products. It also promotes healthy skin by protecting it from sunlight and improving circulation, the skin surface and hydration.

Cocoa can also give you a healthy heart.

You can achieve this by including 0.1 ounces (2.5 grams) of high-flavanol cocoa powder or 0.4 ounces (10 grams) of high-flavanol chocolate in your diet. Adding cocoa can give a delicious chocolate taste to your dishes as well.

Fun ways to add cocoa to your diet include:

• Eat dark chocolate: Make sure it’s good quality and contains at least 70% cocoa. Check out this guide on selecting high-quality dark chocolate.
• Hot/cold cocoa: Mix cocoa with your favorite dairy or nondairy milk for a chocolate milkshake.
• Smoothies: Cocoa can be added to your favorite healthy smoothie recipe to give it a richer, chocolatey taste.
• Puddings: You can add raw cocoa powder (not Dutch) to homemade puddings like chia breakfast puddings or rice pudding.
• Vegan chocolate mousse: Process avocado, cocoa, almond milk and a sweetener like dates for a thick vegan chocolate mousse.
• Sprinkle over fruit: Cocoa is particularly nice sprinkled over bananas or strawberries.
• Granola bars: Add cocoa to your favorite granola bar mixture to bump up the health benefits and enrich the flavor.

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