Chocolate is one of the most delicious things on the planet, isn’t it? Well, it turns out that chocolate does more for us than just taste great; the flavanols in cocoa apparently can help us to improve our cognition, too. A study of the available literature, performed by a group of Italian researchers concluded that a daily dose of chocolate actually helps us to think better.
This particular conclusion was reached after researchers from the University of L‘Aquila in Italy reviewed the existing literature on chocolate and cocoa flavanols. It is worth pointing out that the researchers focused solely on dark chocolate as milk chocolate does not contain the same high proportions of cocoa that are needed for the benefits here. They also pointed out that there are potential negative side effects to eating chocolate, mainly because of the sugar and milk that is added to it. Caffeine can also have a negative impact on the health of some people. This should encourage those of us trying to reap the health benefits of eating chocolate to use moderation and thoughtfulness in our approach.
In a world where the instances of Alzheimer’s disease is increasing in an alarming manner, this is a bit of good news. In fact, the elderly population is the group that saw the biggest gains when it came to daily long term intake of cocoa flavanols. Those that did this tended to see improved attention, working memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed. Those who were beginning to experience cognitive decline or memory loss were the ones who were impacted the most. This was a surprise to the researchers, but it is very good news for the rest of us. For the purpose of their research, the group conducting this defined long term as anywhere from five days to three months.
This isn’t to say that chocolate is a cure for Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, but it is a good reminder that something delicious can also be really good for us. Senior care can be extremely expensive, and if it can be staved off for a few weeks or months by a few chocolate bars, then so be it. Not only can we help our loved ones to stay independent for longer by pointing them in the right direction, we can help them to have a more delicious time of it, too.
However, it’s still important that we put the proper safeguards in place, too. Chocolate alone is not a solution to helping our parents live healthy lives. We need to be present, and if senior care is necessary, we should work with our moms and dads to help them get the assistance that they need. If you are beginning the senior care process with an older loved one, you probably have a lot of questions about how best to help them. Get in touch with us at Paradise In-Home Care today to schedule a free consultation to see if our services match up with your needs.
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