The daily intake of 1.4 grams of cocoa extract included in dishes and desserts can improve nutritional and metabolic status, as well as oxidation and depressive symptoms in people with obesity. This has been demonstrated by Idoia Ibero, the new doctor of the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra, in a research that has been part of the project SENIFOOD (research industrial diets and foods with specific characteristics for the elderly), developed between 2009-2012 and funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation in the framework of the CENIT program, through the Center for Industrial Technological development (CDTI).

This research was carried out at partnership with business Navarra Tutti Pasta, specialized in 5th range deep-frozen dishes and in charge of supplying the dishes. The study involved 47 volunteers between 50 and 80 years of age who followed a moderately hypocaloric per diem expenses (leave in calories). After four weeks, analyses revealed that the participants had significantly lost weight, lowered their body fat levels, reduced their waist circumference and lowered their blood pressure, "as well as improving their blood glucose and cholesterol levels," says the new doctor.

The most relevant results attributed to cocoa consumption and published in prestigious journals in the area of Nutrition andMetabolism (Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease and Journal of Nutrition) reflect a significant reduction in the levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol in the blood, a marker closely related to cardiovascular risk, as well as an improvement in the depressive state, attributed to certain compounds present in cocoa. In addition, the study confirmed the possibility of including nutritionally enhanced ready meals in a healthy per diem expenses for weight loss goal .

The secret lies in flavanols

According to the new doctor from the University of Navarra, transferring the recommendation of cocoa extract consumption to daily life would imply knowing the amount of flavanols - a subject of flavonoids present in products of plant origin - included in chocolate bars, information that is not generally provided on the product packaging. In this line, "the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) indicates that daily consumption of 200 mg of flavanols improves endothelial function", a factor core topic in vascular health.

The project has been directed by Professors Alfredo Martínez and Marian Zulet, researchers of the research center in Nutrition of the University of Navarra and members of the high school of research Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA) and of the research center Biomédica en network -Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn).