The reason that cocoa leads the other drinks is its high content of compounds called phenolic phytochemicals, or flavonoids, indicating the presence of known antioxidants that can stave off cancer, cardiovascular disease and other ailments. The flavonoids also known to help lowered the blood pressure and improve heart health.
Part of the secret to the antioxidant magic is the ‘hot’ in hot chocolate. More antioxidant will be released once the chocolate is heating up.
Cocoa contains the flavonoids epicatechin and catechins as well as the larger oligomeric flavanols procyanadins.
Apart from cocoa and chocolate, flavanols are also found in a number of other foods and drinks such as apricots, apples, tea and red wines.
The scientists discovered that a cup of hot cocoa 611 milligrams of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents (ECE) in a single serving of cocoa.
Study by Cornell University in 1988, shows that antioxidant concentration in hot cocoa is two times higher that red wine.
A cup of hot chocolate can contain approximately 150 mg of phenolic compounds. And a piece of milk chocolate bar provides almost 200 mg. Pure powder has the most antioxidants, followed by baking and dark chocolate, then milk chocolate.
Phenolic compounds protect plants against insects and pathogens, and they remain active even after food processing.
Hot chocolate with antioxidants
