Nutrition 4 All, Cocoa - for a healthier brain

Nutrition 4 All Health and Well-Being Newsletter Eat Your Way to Better Health April 2007

It seems our grandparents knew a thing or two about cocoa that we didn't. When they were tucking into their nightly drink a new study suggests that they were also improving the performance and health of their brains. Cocoa is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, as consumers are increasingly opting for a relaxing cup of hot chocolate to mark the end of a busy day.

As well as providing an opportunity to take some 'time out' and relax, drinking flavanol-rich cocoa can improve the blood-flow to the brain and even the capacity for memory and learning, according to research from Harvard University published in February 2007(1). This newly reported health benefit comes on top of several studies, which show that cocoa can have beneficial effects for heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, stress and even cancer. However, before you rush off to the shops to buy some cocoa for your nightcap, you need to know that you won't get these benefits from any old cocoa.

The health-promoting nutrients of cocoa are its flavanols and antioxidants, both of which occur in high numbers in natural cocoa. Most cocoa powders on sale today, however, have been subjected to heavy processing, and have lost between 33% and 50% of their antioxidant and flavanol levels. To ensure you really are drinking a healthy cup of hot chocolate, you need to choose a natural, flavanol-rich cocoa such as Brown Gold. Drinking cocoa in its natural state also means that your body will absorb twice as many antioxidants per cup as a similar sized portion of red wine(2).

Natural cocoa provides the following health-promoting nutrients:

• A high quantity of flavanols: These are naturally occurring nutrients, which are abundant in fresh cocoa. According to new research from Harvard University cocoa flavanols may improve blood vessel function and help maintain healthy brain functions as we grow older.
• Theobromine: This has been shown to have a beneficial effect on asthma sufferers by relaxing the bronchi.
• Magnesium: Cocoa is the largest natural source of magnesium. Magnesium can help to reduce heart disease, stress and blood pressure. In a Dutch study (3), people who regularly consumed cocoa had much lower blood pressure than those who did not.
• Vitamins A, B1, C, D and E.
• Four to five times as many anti-ageing, anti-cancer, free radical combating antioxidants than in a cup of green tea.

Brown Gold Cocoa is manufactured by Hords Limited from the Republic of Ghana, and is distributed in the EU by Fula Foods Ltd. It is a natural and delicious cocoa powder with a long-standing heritage, which is testament to its popularity in Ghana.

The cocoa powder has been grown in the same, traditional manner since the mid-19th century, and is called Brown Gold for a good reason. For many generations of Ghanaians, growing cocoa has been the major route to financial independence. Cocoa remains the only means of sustaining many small Ghanaian communities, and continues to be farmed in the traditional manner in family-held farms. The fact that Brown Gold cocoa is grown on small farms means the communities benefit from product sales, and sales of Brown Gold are contributing towards the renovation of a school in the village of Akomadan in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

Brown Gold is a natural cocoa product, so you'll immediately notice the superior taste quality compared to other more processed brands. Once the world's leading supplier of cocoa, Ghana is still renowned for its finer quality and luxurious taste. Ghanaian food is expected to become increasingly popular with British shoppers who are showing a growing interest in the provenance of food and drink products.

Ghanaians typically drink cocoa twice a day to get the most health benefits. It is traditionally consumed in the morning as a breakfast drink and in the evening as a nightcap. On both occasions Ghanaians like to drink it hot, and made only with water, as the addition of milk and sugar can impair the body's absorption of the active cocoa ingredients. If you find it a little bitter to start with, add a small amount of honey to taste, but aim to reduce this as your taste buds become accustomed to the new taste.

How you choose to drink Brown Gold is entirely up to you, all we ask is that you sit back, relax and enjoy the Ghanaian experience.

Notes:

1. Research by Harvard has shown that the flavanols in unprocessed cocoa make it effective in reducing the risks of both cancer and heart disease and help to maintain a healthy brain function in later life. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/wsw-fic021607.php.

2. According to a study by Cornell University, a cup of cocoa contains twice as many antioxidants as a glass of red wine. http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Nov03/HotCocoa-Lee.bpf.html.

3. A Dutch study showed that people who regularly consumed cocoa had lower blood pressure than those who did not.

4. http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/166/4/411 The Zutphen Elderly Study, Brian Buijsse, MSc; Edith J. M. Feskens, PhD; Frans J. Kok, PhD; Daan Kromhout, PhD, Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:411-417

For local stockists, call Marie Fuller at Fula Foods, on 020 8795 2337.

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With very best wishes, Joy Healey Eat Your Way to Better Health http://www.nutrition4all.co.uk