The dry, shriveled feeling you get from dark chocolate, red wine, black tea, and berries could actually be: activate the brain According to new research, it’s done in a similar way to exercise.
New Japanese research suggests that flavanols, plant compounds found in these foods, may stimulate the brain by triggering sensory responses associated with bitter taste, rather than by being absorbed into the bloodstream.
“The key finding of this experiment is that we demonstrate for the first time how a flavanol ingestion stimulus (presumably bitter taste) is transmitted to the central nervous system and triggers a stress response response that enhances short-term memory and has beneficial effects on the circulatory system,” Naomi Gyobe, a professor at Japan’s Shibaura Institute of Technology, told FOX News Digital.
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“It was surprising that the brain activity-enhancing effects of flavanols appeared at very low doses,” she added.
In experiments using mice, a single administration of flavanols increased Improved self-motivation and performance According to a study published in Current Research in Food Science, it concerns a memory test.
The researchers also observed rapid activation of brain regions involved in attention, arousal, and stress regulation.
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Because only a small amount of the flavanols people ingest actually enter the bloodstream, researchers believe that flavanols may affect the brain and heart by stimulating sensory nerves.
The researchers describe this concept as part of an emerging field known as sensory nutrition, the idea that food taste and physical sensations can directly modulate biological functions. This could ultimately lead to new types of foods that combine attractive taste with beneficial physiological effects.
This response is similar to that which occurs during light exercise, and is a temporary activation. sympathetic nervous system It is sometimes described as the fight or flight response. This type of short-term stress can sharpen your focus and attention.
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“It is clear that health foods contribute to maintaining and strengthening homeostasis, but the mechanism remains largely unknown,” says Gyobu. “Notably, this study identified the potential of food constituents to modulate biological function.”
This study has limitations because it was conducted in animals and food is a complex mixture of many compounds that can interact.
Larger human studies are needed to determine whether the effects seen in mice also occur in humans.
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“I don’t think people, including most doctors, realize that the taste of certain molecules and compounds can rapidly cause significant changes in the brain,” said Dr. Johnson Moon, a neurologist at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in California. previously told FOX News Digital About sensory nutrition.
More data is needed to recommend foods like dark chocolate, Moon said, especially since the calories, sugar and fat content may outweigh the benefits.
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Still, Osakabe noted that previous long-term human studies on cocoa flavanols suggest cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. For now, she recommends: A balanced, plant-based diet.
“I believe that eating plant-based foods like cocoa, berries, and red wine along with fruits and vegetables can help keep you healthy,” she says.
Leading health organizations stress that if adults choose to drink alcohol, they should limit it to moderation, no more than one drink per day for women and two for men, and that no amount of alcohol is completely risk-free.
Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.
