(and cocoa flavanols are potent nitric oxide boosters!)
Some promising news! The FDA added nitric oxide to its emergency expanded access program for the treatment of COVID-19.
And… nitric oxide is being investigated in over a dozen clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
That’s good news for FlavaFans – cocoa flavanols are one of nature’s most potent boosters of nitric oxide!
How can cocoa flavanols increase your nitric oxide levels?
According to Dr. Nathan Bryan, adjunct professor at the Baylor School of Medicine and recognized nitric oxide expert, about half of your nitric oxide level comes from diet and bacteria in your mouth. Some foods effective for boosting nitric oxide levels include leafy green vegetables (e.g. kale and spinach), celery, beets, citrus fruits, watermelon, pomegranates and, yes…dark chocolate and cocoa powder!
High flavanol cocoa powder and dark chocolate are particularly potent nitric oxide boosters. In fact, two controlled studies show that daily high-flavanol cocoa powder can increase circulating nitrate oxide levels by 63% to 77%.
Why do experts believe nitric oxide can help fight COVID-19?
A recently published review by researchers at George Washington University School of Medicine, “suggests that nitric oxide holds promise as a therapeutic to control the replication and spread of COVID-19”.
In fact, scientists working with cell cultures have already demonstrated that nitric oxide impedes replication of SARS-CoV-1, a similar coronavirus, which led to the SARS outbreak in 2003.
Separately, it appears that populations with low levels of nitric oxide are at greater risk of severe health outcomes. Specifically, older individuals, and people with heart disease, diabetes and obesity have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19.
Of course we’ll have to wait on the clinical trials before drawing any firm conclusions. But in the meantime, there are plenty of proven brain, cardio, and metabolic performance reasons to consume 500-1,000mg of nitric oxide boosting cocoa flavanols daily.
And did we mention how great they can taste? 😉