Posts By: Alan Frost

Great news Flava fans! A new placebo controlled study of 60 healthy, middle-aged women from Japan shows cocoa flavanols statistically increase positive mood states while reducing negative mood (e.g., depression, fatigue, and anger). This was achieved by consuming a high flavanol cocoa beverage daily, for eight weeks. The study was recently published in the journal… Read more »

We are excited to share that FlavaNaturals is collaborating with WomenHeart and the University of Pennsylvania on a real world test of cocoa flavanols and everyday heart health.  WomenHeart is the leading heart health advocacy group for Women in the country and has a team of several hundred trained, passionate WomenHeart Champion educators supporting their… Read more »

We spend lots of time in this newsletter writing about the health and performance benefits of cocoa flavanols. But what are flavanols? Flavanols, a subclass of flavonoids, are plant-based, health-supporting nutrients naturally found in green tea, blueberries, grapes, apples, and, of course, cocoa. Cocoa flavanols are a unique blend of flavanols that include single compounds… Read more »

A 1% gain in the flexibility of your arteries lowers your risk of a cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack, stroke) by about 12.5%, according to pooled data from 49 studies with over 20,000 participants (published in the Journals of the American Heart Assn. and the Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging). Cocoa flavanols (900mg daily) have shown… Read more »

An important new study of over 3,500 adults by researchers from Columbia University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard (part of the COSMOS study) found diets low in flavanols to be associated with age related memory loss. The study found that replenishing these nutrients with 500mg of cocoa flavanols, daily, improved performance on memory tests by… Read more »

Listen to top Sports Dietitian Matt Darnell answer these questions about leveraging cocoa flavanols among NFL players and how to boost your personal exercise performance (from the Intelligent Medicine Show with Dr. Ronald Hoffman). Matt is the Director of Sports Science at EXOS and previously the Dietitian for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Question 1: Are cocoa… Read more »

“Memory and your ability to focus are directly tied to healthy blood flow to our brains. The science is clear,” says Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Ferid Maurad, “our brains use roughly 20% of our body’s blood supply to power key functions like memory. The better the blood flow, the better your brain health.” Several clinical… Read more »

World-class triathletes like Lisa Bentley contend with extreme fatigue, injuries and self-doubt. But few face the remarkable challenge of also overcoming cystic fibrosis, an often-fatal disease that can produce severe breathing issues. Lisa leveraged the power of positive thinking and intense determination to become one of the world’s top ironman triathletes!  Please enjoy this recording of Lisa… Read more »

Exciting News, Flava Fans! On Feb. 3rd, 2023 the FDA approved a qualified health claim stating that “Cocoa Flavanols in High Flavanol Cocoa Powder May Reduce Cardiovascular Disease”.  The approved health claim is based on a 2018 filing stating that 200mg of cocoa flavanols can support heart health.  The FDA approved the claim but noted that… Read more »

February is American Heart Month so what better time to explore the extraordinary cardiovascular benefits of cocoa flavanols. Can you think of another nutrient, supplement or drug shown to reduce cardiovascular death by over 25% while also supporting exercise performance? Here is a look at five compelling cardio benefits of cocoa flavanols: 1. Decrease Risk… Read more »