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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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…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 »
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 »
“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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The studies keep coming — brain function! heart health! blood sugar! exercise performance! And the results are exciting, and overwhelmingly advocate for adding cocoa flavanols to your daily diet. But…the findings can also be a bit dizzying. They don’t necessarily specify exactly how many, how often, or when…questions we receive daily. Generally 500-1,000mg of flavanols… Read more »
Blood vessels functioned 25% better during mental stress in people who consumed high flavanol cocoa, finds a breakthrough study conducted at the University of Birmingham. We know what you’re thinking… “Another study?!” Honestly, we too are amazed by the energy and momentum surrounding cocoa flavanols and their health benefits! And the results rolling in continue… Read more »
First observed at Harvard, cocoa flavanols improve cardiovascular health by increasing the elasticity of your arteries and vessels, essentially improving blood flow. Check out our “top five” list of cardio benefits below and then add cocoa flavanols to your daily diet for a cardio high five! 5. Improve Your Circulation: One recent study published in… Read more »