Description
PresenterLeah L. Porter, PhD, Chocolate Manufacturers Association & the American Cocoa Research Institute
Emerging research continues to provide further support that diets that include plantbased products can reduce and/or delay the onset of various chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease and cancer). Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds of plant origin; the predominant flavonoids in cocoa are flavanols. Research published to date demonstrates that the cocoa bean is a rich source of flavanols; cocoa is now mentioned in the context of other rich sources of these compounds (i.e., tea, grapes and grapefruit). As cocoa-containing polyphenols (epicatechin, catechin and oligomers of these molecules in the form of procyanidins) continue to be a research area of interest, the cocoa and chocolate industry will have varied opportunities to promote cocoa consumption as an ingredient and in finished products.Additionally, research results suggesting new uses for cocoa and chocolate (e.g., theobromine as a cough suppressant) will also be discussed.
