A study of randomized control trials found that ingesting
cocoa epicatechins (about 50 grams of 70 percent cocoa chocolate daily) reduces blood pressure by approximately 4.6 points for systolic and 2.1 points for diastolic.
According to this study,
cocoa epicatechins alone produce a 30 percent increase in fatigue resistance and a 30 percent increase in new blood supply.
Not exact matches
Although many different polyphenols are present in dark chocolate, emerging research has identified
epicatechin as the primary
cocoa flavonol linked to the observed health benefits of dark chocolate, including cardiovascular health benefits.
CocoaNol contains a higher concentration of
epicatechins to total catechins versus typical
cocoa.
The study found that when roasting
cocoa beans at less than 302 °F (150 °C), the total number of phenolics,
epicatechin and smaller proanthocyanidins is reduced.
Cacao and
cocoa are both high in flavonoid polyphenols such as
epicatechin which have powerful anti-oxidant effects (2).
That's when they learned
cocoa compounds named
epicatechin monomers enhanced beta cells» ability to secrete insulin.
The new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, finds beta cells work better and remain stronger with an increased presence of
epicatechin monomers, compounds found naturally in
cocoa.
It has been demonstrated that
epicatechin derived from
cocoa can stimulate the fat burning process, thus increasing weight loss.
Just bear in mind that our true feelings are for the
cocoa itself (specifically, its antioxidant catechins and
epicatechins) and not for the artificial chocolate flavorings and candies that have little - to - no
cocoa.
Polyphenols are natural plant chemicals that have antioxidant properties; the main ones in
cocoa are
epicatechin and catechin.
The outcomes of this preliminary study have resulted in the implementation of larger, placebo - controlled clinical studies to assess if individuals with heart failure as well as diabetes show improvement in their exercise capacity when given
epicatechin - rich
cocoa.
It appears that a compound in
cocoa, called
epicatechin, boosts nitric oxide, a substance that has been shown to be crucial to healthy blood vessels.
Be sure to choose dark chocolate, ideally one that's 70 percent
cocoa solids; milk chocolate lacks significant levels of
epicatechin.
A flavanol found in the
cocoa plant and green tea,
Epicatechin, generated keen interest from the supplement industry.
It's the
cocoa bean itself that contains
epicatechin.
It has the highest amount of
cocoa derived natural
epicatechin compared to other supplements and also contains many more beneficial compounds from
cocoa such as
cocoa flavanols and theobromine.
You can get
epicatechin naturally from foods such as dark
cocoa or from more concentrated supplements.
Epicatechin in dark
cocoa also affects blood flow.
Serum concentration of the flavonoid
epicatechin was shown to be highest 2 h after
cocoa consumption (6, 17).