Cocoa | Cocoa Bean | Cacao | Chocolate
Theobroma cacao has been cultivated in central and south America for at least 3,000 years. The name Theobroma cacao can be translated as chocolate, food of the gods. This tree is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. The seeds (sometimes referred to as beans) are enclosed in a pod or husk. They are the source of the cocoa used to make chocolate. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, has a blossoming reputation as being heart healthy. This is because of the cocoa content. Cocoa has been reported to support many health-promoting and energy-enhancing actions ranging from improving mitochondrial structure and function to enhancing cognitive performance and vision. Cocoa is one of the biggest dietary sources for polyphenol compounds, a category of plant-derived molecules that are increasingly being shown to support healthy aging. It is an especially great food source of (‐)‐epicatechin, a unique flavanol polyphenol. Cocoa is also a rich source of a bitter compound called theobromine. This compound is a weaker cousin of sorts to caffeine, influencing similar brain processes but not quite as strongly. Cocoa flavanols, especially (‐)‐epicatechin, and theobromine can cross the blood brain barrier, supporting brain performance and vision. The synergy between the cocoa flavanol and theobromine content is responsible for cocoa’s ability to support such a wide range of health processes.*
In general, cocoa flavanol content varies widely, because many flavanols are degraded when cocoa is processed. The result is that, although in theory cocoa-containing products should be a great source of flavanols, in practice many are not. When selecting a cocoa extract it’s important to choose a source that retains high amounts of the cocoa flavanols.
Neurohacker uses ACTICOA® cocoa created by Barry Callebaut. After years of research, and through controlled sourcing and processing, they found a way to retain high amounts of the naturally occurring flavanols found in cocoa beans.
ACTICOA® cocoa is at least 7.5% cocoa flavanols. It also contains about 2% theobromine.
ACTICOA® is non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan.
When deciding on a dose of a cocoa extract we think it’s important to consider the amount of cocoa flavanols and theobromine. Flavanols are a sub-group of polyphenols, and are one of the main class of active compounds in cocoa bean extracts and powders. Some polyphenols appear to produce threshold responses, while others produce biphasic responses. In either case, above a certain range, more is not better. In addition to flavanols cocoa contains a bitter alkaloid compound called theobromine. Although theobromine is a weaker cousin of sorts to caffeine, it can cause some of the same issues if consumed in excess. So, similar to caffeine we think of theobromine as having a hormetic range (i.e., a dosing range above which results could be poorer). We have selected to dose cocoa extract at an amount of theobromine that is well below the threshold amount, but sourced a cocoa extract that retains high amounts of the naturally occurring flavanols. With both of these compounds we think it’s important to generally follow hormetic dosing principles (see Neurohacker Dosing Principles). *
Mitochondrial biogenesis
Mitochondrial structure
Mitochondrial function
Exercise performance (ergogenic effects)
Antioxidant defenses
Cardiovascular function
Brain function
Gut microbiota
Healthy aging and longevity
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