De fysiologische effecten van cacaoverbindingen zijn uitgebreid onderzocht in wetenschappelijk peer-reviewed onderzoek. De referenties hieronder weerspiegelen wat de wetenschap heeft onderzocht: welke stoffen betrokken zijn, welke hoeveelheden nodig zijn en waarom de verwerkingsmethode bepaalt hoeveel ervan u bereikt. Bij Flava’Choc is dit het fundament waarop we bouwen.
Hartgezondheid
Fisher N.D.L., Hughes M., Gerhard-Herman M. & Hollenberg N.K. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans. Journal of Hypertension, 2003;21(12):2281–2286. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004872-200312000-00016
Heiss C., Dejam A., Kleinbongard P., Schewe T., Sies H. & Kelm M. Vascular effects of cocoa rich in flavan-3-ols. JAMA, 2003;290(8):1030–1031. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.8.1030
Taubert D., Berkels R., Roesen R. & Klaus W. Chocolate and blood pressure in elderly individuals with isolated systolic hypertension. JAMA, 2003;290(8):1029–1030. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.8.1029
Grassi D., Lippi C., Necozione S., Desideri G. & Ferri C. Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005;81(3):611–614. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/81.3.611
Vlachopoulos C., Aznaouridis K., Alexopoulos N., Economou E., Andreadou I. & Stefanadis C. Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals. American Journal of Hypertension, 2005;18(6):785–791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjhyper.2004.12.008
Schroeter H., Heiss C., Balzer J., Kleinbongard P., Keen C.L., Hollenberg N.K., Sies H., Kwik-Uribe C., Schmitz H.H. & Kelm M. (-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2006;103(4):1024–1029. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0510168103
Grassi D., Desideri G., Necozione S., Lippi C., Casale R., Properzi G., Blumberg J.B. & Ferri C. Blood pressure is reduced and insulin sensitivity increased in glucose-intolerant, hypertensive subjects after 15 days of consuming high-polyphenol dark chocolate. Journal of Nutrition, 2008;138(9):1671–1676. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/138.9.1671
Heiss C., Jahn S., Taylor M., Real W.M., Angeli F.S., Wong M.L., Amabile N., Prasad M., Rassaf T., Ottaviani J.I., Mihardja S., Keen C.L., Springer M.L., Boyle A., Grossman W., Glantz S.A., Schroeter H. & Yeghiazarians Y. Improvement of endothelial function with dietary flavanols is associated with mobilization of circulating angiogenic cells in patients with coronary artery disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2010;56(3):218–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2010.03.039
Hooper L., Kay C., Abdelhamid A., Kroon P.A., Cohn J.S., Rimm E.B. & Cassidy A. Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012;95(3):740–751. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.023457
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to cocoa flavanols and maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation. EFSA Journal, 2012;10(7):2809. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2809
Ried K., Fakler P. & Stocks N.P. Effect of cocoa on blood pressure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017;(4):CD008893. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008893.pub3
Sesso H.D., Manson J.E., Aragaki A.K., Rist P.M., Johnson L.G., Friedenberg G., Copeland T., Clar A., Mora S., Moorthy M.V., Sarkissian A., Carrick W.R. & Anderson G.L. Effect of cocoa flavanol supplementation for the prevention of cardiovascular disease events: the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2022;115(6):1490–1500. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac055
Cognitieve Functie
Lamport D.J., Pal D., Moutsiana C., Field D.T., Williams C.M., Spencer J.P.E. & Butler L.T. The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults during conscious resting state: a placebo-controlled, crossover, acute trial. Psychopharmacology, 2015;232(17):3227–3234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3972-4
Mastroiacovo D., Kwik-Uribe C., Grassi D., Necozione S., Raffaele A., Pistacchio L., Righetti R., Bocale R., Lechiara M.C., Marini C., Ferri C. & Desideri G. Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study — a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015;101(3):538–548. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.092189
Baker L.D., Manson J.E., Rapp S.R., Sesso H.D., Gaussoin S.A., Shumaker S.A., Espeland M.A., Resnick S.M., Whitmer R.A., Kivipelto M., Luchsinger J.A., Coker L.H., Yasar S., Shadyab A.H., Wallace R.B., Johnson K.C., Hayden K.M. & Small B.J. Effects of cocoa extract and a multivitamin on cognitive function: a randomized clinical trial (COSMOS-Mind). Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 2023;19(4):1308–1319. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12767
Brickman A.M., Yeung L.K., Alschuler D.M., Ottaviani J.I., Kuhnle G.G.C., Sloan R.P., et al. Dietary flavanols restore hippocampal-dependent memory in older adults with lower diet quality and lower habitual flavanol consumption. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2023;120(23):e2216932120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2216932120
Algemene Gezondheid & Oxidatieve Stress
Steffen Y., Schewe T. & Sies H. Epicatechin protects endothelial cells against oxidized LDL and maintains nitric oxide synthase. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2005;331(4):1277–1283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.04.035
Katz D.L., Doughty K. & Ali A. Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 2011;15(10):2779–2811. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2010.3697
Huidgezondheid
Stahl W., Heinrich U., Aust O., Tronnier H. & Sies H. Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women. Journal of Nutrition, 2006;136(6):1565–1569. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.6.1565
Darmgezondheid & Microbioom
Selma M.V., Espín J.C. & Tomás-Barberán F.A. Interaction between phenolics and gut microbiota: role in human health. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009;57(15):6485–6501. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf902107d
Tzounis X., Rodriguez-Mateos A., Vulevic J., Gibson G.R., Kwik-Uribe C. & Spencer J.P.E. Prebiotic evaluation of cocoa-derived flavanols in healthy humans by using a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover intervention study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011;93(1):62–72. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.000075
Gemeten Flavanolgehalten
Miller K.B., Stuart D.A., Smith N.L., Lee C.Y., McHale N.L., Flanagan J.A., Ou B. & Hurst W.J. Antioxidant activity and polyphenol and procyanidin contents of selected commercially available cocoa-containing and chocolate products in the United States. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006;54(11):4062–4068. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf060290o
Miller K.B., Hurst W.J., Payne M.J., Stuart D.A., Apgar J., Sweigart D.S. & Ou B. Impact of alkalization on the antioxidant and flavanol content of commercial cocoa powders. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008;56(18):8527–8533. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf801670p
Miller K.B., Hurst W.J., Flannigan N., Ou B., Lee C.Y., Smith N. & Stuart D.A. Survey of commercially available chocolate- and cocoa-containing products in the United States. 2. Comparison of flavan-3-ol content with nonfat cocoa solids, total polyphenols, and percent cacao. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009;57(19):9169–9180. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf901821x
Payne M.J., Hurst W.J., Miller K.B., Rank C. & Stuart D.A. Impact of fermentation, drying, roasting and Dutch processing on epicatechin and catechin content of cacao beans and cocoa ingredients. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010;58(19):10518–10527. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf102391q
Langer S., Marshall L.J., Day A.J. & Morgan M.R.A. Flavanols and methylxanthines in commercially available dark chocolate: a study of the correlation with nonfat cocoa solids. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011;59(15):8435–8441. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf201398t
Kothe L., Zimmermann B.F. & Galensa R. Temperature influences epimerization and composition of flavanol monomers, dimers and trimers during cocoa bean roasting. Food Chemistry, 2013;141(4):3656–3663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.06.049
Ioannone F., Di Mattia C.D., De Gregorio M., Sergi M., Serafini M. & Sacchetti G. Flavanols, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant activity changes during cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) roasting as affected by temperature and time of processing. Food Chemistry, 2015;169:468–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.08.014
Żyželewicz D., Krysiak W., Oracz J., Sosnowska D., Budryn G. & Nebesny E. The influence of the roasting process conditions on the polyphenol content in cocoa beans, nibs and chocolates. Food Research International, 2016;89:918–929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2016.03.026
Bussy U., Hewitt G., Olanrewaju Y., May B.R., Anderson N., Ottaviani J.I. & Kwik-Uribe C. Single-laboratory validation for the determination of cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (by degree of polymerization DP1–7) in cocoa-based products by hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection: First Action 2020.05. Journal of AOAC International, 2021;104(2):413–421. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoacint/qsaa132
Bussy U., You H. & Kwik-Uribe C. Determination of cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (by degree of polymerization DP1–7) in cocoa-based products by hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection: collaborative study. Journal of AOAC International, 2022;105(4):1060–1071. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoacint/qsac007
Souza M.S.S., Borges L.L.R., Kobi H.B., Freitas V.V., Rigolon T.C.B., Olegário L.S., Gutiérrez E.A., Felix P.H.C., Vidigal M.C.T.R. & Stringheta P.C. Roasted and Unroasted Cocoa Nibs: Bioactive Compounds Analysis and Application in Cereal Bars. Foods, 2024;13(21):3510. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13213510
Hermund D.B. et al. Fate of flavonoids and theobromine in cocoa beans during roasting: Effect of time and temperature. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/aocs.12853
Aanvullende Bronnen
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dark Chocolate — The Nutrition Source. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/dark-chocolate/
