LONDON: Love to munch on chocolates? According to a study, it may improve your cognitive skills such as working memory, visual processing speed as well as help counteract different types of mental impairments, particularly in older adults. "This study suggests the potential of cocoa flavanols to protect cognition in vulnerable populations over time by improving cognitive performance," Valentina Socci from the University of L'Aquila in Italy. "If you look at the underlying mechanism, the cocoa flavanols have beneficial effects for cardiovascular health and can increase cerebral blood volume in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. "Regular intake of cocoa and chocolate could indeed provide beneficial effects on cognitive functioning over time," however, "there are potential side effects," said Michele Ferrara from the University of L'Aquila in Italy.

Source: Economic Times June 30, 2017 09:00 UTC