@misc{10481/84578,
year = {2023},
month = {7},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/84578},
abstract = {Background: Cocoa’s healthy benefits may be attributed to the potent antioxidant
activity of cocoa polyphenols, mainly flavanols, which have been characterised as existing in a high
concentration in cocoa. However, the phenolic composition of cocoa and cocoa-derived products
is highly variable, and manufacturing processes might significantly reduce their phenolic content.
For that reason, the full characterisation of cocoa and cocoa-derived products before evaluating their
bioactivity is crucial. The aim of this review is to analyse the available evidence on the effect of
flavanol-fortified cocoa-derived products on human health. (2) Methods: Forty-eight clinical trials
focused on the health effect of consuming flavanol-fortified drinks, bars and chocolate have been
reviewed, with a total of 1523 subjects. (3) Results: Although studies differ widely in methodology,
dosage, duration, and target population, beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa consumption have
been observed at doses ranging from 45.3 mg/d to 1078 mg/d, especially on cardiovascular health
and cognitive function. (4) Conclusions: Considering the high consumption and acceptability of cocoa
and cocoa-derived products, the fortification of cocoa products as well as other highly consumed
foods with cocoa flavanols could be an effective strategy for health promotion},
organization = {Grant PID2020-114374RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/
501100011033},
organization = {Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Universidad, Investigación
e Innovación—Proyect P21_00777},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Cocoa},
keywords = {Flavanols},
keywords = {Fortified},
keywords = {Human health},
keywords = {Cardiovascular health},
keywords = {Cognitive function},
keywords = {Antioxidant activity},
title = {How Healthy Is It to Fortify Cocoa-Based Products with Cocoa Flavanols? A Comprehensive Review},
doi = {10.3390/antiox12071376},
author = {Palma Morales, Marta and Melgar-Locatelli, Sonia and Castilla Ortega, Estela},
}