Functional Properties of Cocoa Products: Health Aspects Puspo Edi Giriwono SEAFAST Center - IPB
Theobroma cacao
Nutrient content of various cocoa products Colombo et al., Chocolate and Health., 2012
Cocoa Nutrient Content Nutrient Cocoa (dry) / 100 g Dark Chocolate (bar) / 100 g Protein 19.6 5.1 Lipid 13.7 32.2 Carbohydrate 57.9 59.97 Fiber 33.2 7.2 Potassium (mg) 1524 568 Calcium (mg) 128 57 Zinc (mg) 6.8 2.1 Selenium (ug) 14.3 3.5 Caffeine (mg) 230 47 Theobromine (mg) 2057 515-802 Flavonoids (mg) ~ 5000 93.5-651.1 mg epicatechin equiv GABA (mg) 52 ~143
Theobromine primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate theobromine is a vasodilator: application in decreasing hypertension diuretic: helps remove liquid from inside body - edema, heart stimulant: precursor to caffeine, 10x weaker half-life 6 10 hours after consumption
Health effects of Theobromine Vasodilation effect useful in asthma and in other respiratory tract problems such as cough, (Prieto-Lastra et al., 2006) its anti-inflammatory effect is potential in the modulation of airway reactivity, (Mokry et al. 2009) anti-tumor potentials (anti inflammation effect), (Sugimoto et al, 2014)
Polyphenolics in cocoa In cocoa: theobromine can reach 2%, while polyphenolic compounds can reach up to 5%, dry weight. Significant effect for human health Martini et al., Revista Brasil. Bot., V.31, 2008
Polyphenols as antioxidants In most foods, catechins are fairly short molecules, maybe two, three linked together, but in chocolate and cocoa they are much longer. hydrogen-donating (radical-scavenging) properties and their metal-chelating antioxidant properties. not only as direct antioxidant effect, but also have a sparing effect on other antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E in serum.
Flavonoids in Cacao
Roberto Corti et al. Circulation. 2009;119:1433-1441 Antioxidants
Anti hypertension Dark choc (78%): pp: 25 mg GAE/g theo: 9.25 mg/g epicatechin: 0.93 mg/g White choc: ND Up to 28 days of treatment with/w.o chocolate (75g/day). Systolic pressure decreased in both groups, dark chocolate group statistically significant. n = 21 healthy adult male Rusconi et al., 2012
Anti hypertension positive changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure by consuming cocoa-based products instead of black and green tea. changes are attributed to antioxidants that stimulates the production of nitric oxide, contributing to vasodilation.
Roberto Corti et al. Circulation. 2009;119:1433-1441
Anti hypertension Up to 28 days of treatment with/w.o chocolate (75g/day). Significant decrease of adrenaline, not noradrenaline also contributes to vasodilation and supression of hypertension. n = 21 healthy adult male Rusconi et al., 2012
Serum lipid profile elleviation intakes of high amounts of polyphenol rich chocolates, of around 40 to 75 g/day have greater HDL-cholesterol enhancing effects, polyphenols have capacity to: (1) inhibit cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract; (2) inhibit LDL biosynthesis by lowering the activity and/or expression of the synthesizing enzymes,in the liver; (3) suppress hepatic secretion of apolipoprotein B100; (4) increase expression of LDL receptors in the liver exact mechanism is yet to be established,
Serum lipid profile elleviation 12 weeks of chronic cocoa feeding increased HDL and decrease ox LDL. Baba et al., 2007, Am J Clin Nutr 85:709 17
Decreased arterosclerosis risk consumption of flavonoid-rich chocolate was associated with an improvement in endothelial function, associated with decreased aortic stiffness, cocoa-related products showed inhibition of platelet activation, aggregation and adhesion when consumed in moderate amounts, either on an acute or chronic basis, by reducing ADP/collagen-activated, reduction in the ADP induced expression of the activated conformation of GpIIb/IIIa surface proteins, similar to aspirin,
Decreased arterosclerosis risk Improved flow mediated dilatation (FMD) in heart failure patients Hermann et al., 2006, Heart 2(1): 119 120 Flammer et al., 2012, European Heart Journal 33: 2172 2180
Decreased arterosclerosis risk Improved flow mediated dilatation (FMD) in heart failure patients Hermann et al., 2006, Heart 2(1): 119 120 Flammer et al., 2012, European Heart Journal 33: 2172 2180
Proposed mechanism inhibition of surface proteins by flavonoids Initiation of platelet activation Wright et al., 2013, Cardiovascular Research, 97: 13 22 Maintain platelet activation
Cognitive function catechin and epicatechin can cross the Blood Brain Barrier in cell lines, from rat and human origin. The process is timedependent, stereoselective, epicatechin crossing more efficiently the BBB than catechin, antioxidative effect in brain tissue. cerebral blood flow (CBF) needs to be well maintained to support constant oxygen and glucose supply to neurons, potential means to improve cerebral function. The principal polyphenols that enhance CBF in humans come mainly from cocoa, wine, grape seeds, berries, tea, tomatoes and soya. 27 healthy individuals received daily 920 ml of a flavanol-rich cocoa drink (821 mg of flavanols/dose) over 4 days. Peripheral arterial dilation showed that there was a 29% increase. (Fisher et al, J Hypertens 2003; 21: 2281 6)
Cognitive function subjects given flavanol rich cocoa drink: epicathecin 89mg, cathecin 21 mg in 330 ml drink increased CBF within a 2- h post-prandial time frame. increased brain perfusion in the anterior cingulate cortex and a region in the left parietal lobe (involved in rational cognitive funct ions, decisionmaking, empathy, impulse control, and emotion) Lamport et al., Psychopharmacology (2015) 232:3227 3234
Stress attenuation γ-aminobutyric acid GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, have an acute psychological stressreducing effect in humans, alleviating effect on sleeplessness, depression. GABA is also found in plants, 52 mg in 100 g of cocoa. calming effects of GABA can be observed in the human brain after administration of GABA as an oral supplement.
Other healthy cocoa products Dark chocolate combined with green tea cathecin/antioxidants? Dark chocolate combined with anthocyanins? Combination with Pre/Probiotic? Synergism with original flavonoid antioxidants in cocoa.
Conclusion Health benefits from cocoa revolve around its rich flavonoid contents, primarily a very potent antioxidant in the major form of epicathecin, Specifically for flavonoid from cocoa, health benefits stem from improvement and protection of endothelial functions by increase enos, improved blood flow, relaxing of arteries, decrease hypertension and even improved cognitive functions,
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Cocoa genome T. cacao is diploid, its size is 430 Mbp, and it comprises 10 chromosome pair cacao genome identified 28,798 protein-coding genes, compared to the roughly 23,000 proteincoding genes of the human genome genome sequence will help accelerate research on cacao molecular biology and breeding for elite varieties through marker-assisted selection, in particular for genetic resistance to fungal, improved quality, and increased expression/yield of functional phytochemicals.