FlavaFan Lisa Bentley, 11 time Ironman Champion, speaks to Dr. Ronald Hoffman about The Power of Positive Thinking and Flavanols!

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 »

FDA Recognizes Cardiovascular Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols!

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 »

Cocoa Flavanols are a Heart’s Best Friend

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 »

5 Key Takeaways from New Flavanol Guidelines!

Here are five important takeaways from the new U.S. dietary guidelines from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, published in Advances in Nutrition: 400 to 600mg of flavanols, daily, are recommended for improved cardio metabolic health outcomes, including lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.  27% reduction in cardiovascular death observed in the COSMOS cocoa… Read more »

Cocoa Flavanols May Boost Stem Cells

Did you know that cocoa flavanols have been shown to markedly increase circulating stem cells?   Stem cells are the body’s raw materials – cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. William W. Li MD writes in his book “Eat to Beat Disease,” “Your immune cells are regenerated every seven days, so if… Read more »

New Food Guidelines Call for 400-600mg of Flavanols Daily

Big news! New dietary guidelines issued by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend consuming 400 to 600 mg/day of flavanols to improve cardiometabolic health! “Increasing consumption of dietary flavanols may help improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar,” manuscript authors wrote. “A continuously growing body of research demonstrates higher consumption may reduce the… Read more »

New Study Review Suggests Cocoa Flavanols Promote Cognition

A recent systematic review of 19 studies concluded “cocoa flavanols may be a promising tool for managing cognitive decline”. Many of us have celebrated individual studies from Columbia and other research centers showing cognitive benefits with daily cocoa flavanol consumption.  But, of course, there have been a few negative trials as well; particularly those studying… Read more »

Cocoa Flavanols Support Your Exercise Routine!

Did you know your arteries and vessels expand every time you climb a flight of stairs, go for a run or grab a workout? And did you know cocoa flavanols increase your artery flexibility to support the delivery of incremental oxygen and nutrients during physical exertion? OK, lets unpack this a bit further. The process… Read more »

Introducing our New FlavaBars!

Nope, your eyes are not playing tricks on you…your fave FlavaBars just got bigger and bolder!  Introducing our new, more flexible, sustainable packaging and snacking shape!  Same mouth watering taste and award-winning recipes. Same unmatched, performance fueling 500 mg of cocoa flavanols per serving. But now with:  New larger, scored bars with 2.5 servings per… Read more »

New Study Shows Cocoa Flavanols Reduce Blood Pressure When It’s Elevated!

Cocoa flavanol impact on blood pressure is greatest when your blood pressure is elevated, according to a fascinating new study out of Surrey University in the UK. Professor Christian Heiss, who lead the study reports, “The positive impact of cocoa flavanols on our cardiovascular system — in particular blood vessel function and blood pressure, is… Read more »

Flava on the Airways!

Hey FlavaFans! Hope you’re enjoying a FlavaFul summer!  If you’re headed to the beach we’ve got you covered with easy to pack, refreshing FlavaJava/FlavaMilk, and some informative and engaging FlavaPod offerings for your listening pleasure: two recent radio interviews and a podcast on cocoa flavanols and Flavanaturals… Intelligent Medicine Radio National Radio Broadcast with Cocoa… Read more »

Top Five Hidden Gems from Harvard Medical School’s Cocoa Flavanol Study

OK, by now you may have heard the headline finding of “27% reduction in cardiovascular death” among people taking daily flavanols in Harvard Medical School’s 21,400 person, 5-year, placebo controlled trial (COSMOS). But that’s just the beginning!  Below are our top five hidden gems from the study publication itself in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:… Read more »

Why This Graph Should Make You Really Happy!

Okay, like most of you, I consume Flava to be my best everyday, whether on my bike, writing a business plan, or hanging out with family, and because I love chocolate! But this chart from the Harvard COSMOS study shows that daily cocoa flavanols may also help you live longer. In fact, this data shows… Read more »

COSMOS Study Shows Cocoa Flavanols Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Death by 27%!

Groundbreaking results are in from COSMOS, Harvard Medical School’s massive study on cocoa flavanols. And wow, they’re gonna reshape nutritional guidelines and change the way we think about and consume cocoa and chocolate forever! For the last four years, Harvard tracked 21,000 people as they consumed 500mg of cocoa flavanols daily in a placebo-controlled trial…. Read more »

Nitric Oxide – The Miracle Molecule!

Nitric Oxide…sound familiar? Nope, not the stuff you inhale at the dentist’s office (that’s nitrous oxide!) But it is the reason flavanols are so beneficial.   Dubbed the “miracle molecule,” the discovery of N-O, won the Nobel Prize in 1998. N-O signals our blood vessels to dilate and increase circulation, the secret to achieving peak… Read more »

The Flavanol Fountain of Youth

Do cocoa flavanols slow and even reverse biological aging? That’s the exciting hypothesis the National Institute of Health (NIH) just awarded Dr. Yanbin Dong $3 million to test! Dr. Dong, a geneticist and cardiologist at the Medical College of Georgia, will collaborate with Harvard investigators to analyze blood samples from 600 individuals consuming daily cocoa… Read more »

Flavonoid Intake Reduces Cognitive Decline by an Astonishing 20%, New Study Finds

“There is mounting evidence suggesting flavonoids are powerhouses when it comes to preventing your thinking skills from declining as you get older,” notes Harvard University professor of medicine, Dr. Walter Willett. According to Willett’s new study, published in Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology, people who consumed 600 milligrams of flavonoids per day had… Read more »

Nutrients from Natural Food Beat Nutrients from Pills

For years, pharmaceutical and supplement companies have tried to bottle the benefits of healthy Mediterranean, Nordic and Okinawan diets, with limited success. For example, several studies show an association between regular fish consumption and cardiovascular health but little benefit associated with omega 3 fish oil capsules. The story with calcium pills and bone health is… Read more »

New Harvard Study Shows Chocolate for Breakfast Helps Burn Fat

Eating chocolate for breakfast may sound like a recipe for weight gain, but a new study out of Harvard and the University of Marcia, Spain, found that postmenopausal women who ate 100 grams of chocolate every morning burned 25% more fat, lowered their blood sugar by 4%, and reduced their waistlines by 2%, all while… Read more »

Flavanols Proven to Improve Performance

Crushing that presentation! A new personal record on that 3-mile run! Boundless energy at the family BBQ! You know that feeling. You love that feeling! It’s about being your personal best. Flavanols support your hard work and are proven to enhance personal performance.  Performance benefits, as opposed to health benefits, are those that noticeably impact… Read more »