This is your brain on chocolate

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Dave Barry once said: “Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, as far as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to involve your brain.” While that may be witty, we’re sorry, Dave, scientifically speaking, it’s completely wrong.

A study in Scientific Reports reveals that when healthy adults consume flavanol-rich cocoa found in cocoa powder and dark chocolate (70% cocoa is best), their brain gets a major boost from increased oxygenation, and they have measurably improved cognition. 

For the experiment, researchers served 3 ounces of flavanol-rich cocoa power in 10 ounces of room-temperature water. You could enjoy 3 ounces of dark chocolate or cocoa powder in oat milk. Milk chocolate and cocoa powder that is Dutch-processed or alkalized doesn’t have enough of the flavanols to increase your brainpower. 

Participants who consumed the dark cocoa saw three times more oxygen delivered to their brain than those who consumed low-flavanol cocoa. And the well-

oxygenated folks correctly solved challenging cognitive tests 11% faster than they did before they had the flavanol boost.

So read labels carefully to make sure you’re getting cocoa powder that’s not Dutch-processed or alkalized. And for a great chocolate recipe (that doesn’t take a lot of brainpower) check out Chocolate Espresso Mousse in Dr. Mike’s “What to Eat When Cookbook.”

While we’re talking about improving brainpower: In our column on herd immunity, we said hepatitis B and C had vaccines when we meant A and B. Think we need to eat more dark chocolate!

ED and diet: There is a connection

The sitcom “Mister Ed” ran from 1958 to 1966 and told the tale of a talking horse who fully participated in the life of his human keepers and friends. Mister Ed: I’m attending college because I want a Ph.D. Wilbur (his owner): Ph.D.? Mister Ed: Palomino Horse Doctor.

Clearly Ed didn’t see many obstacles before him. And if you guys don’t want ED (that’s erectile dysfunction) to be an obstacle in your life, well, a new study says you should go for a Ph.D. too -- that’s a Pretty Healthy Diet! 

Researchers recently mined 16 years of data on more than 21,000 healthy men ages 40 to 75. They found that guys who ate a diet that emphasized vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and fish or other sources of omega-3 fats, and avoided red and processed meat lowered their risk of developing ED by about 20%. 

The study, published in JAMA Open Network, urges men of any age who are concerned about their risk for ED to adopt that healthy eating style. And if you’re already contending with sexual dysfunction, those nutritional choices can help you too. A previous study found that they noticeably improve function in men with ED and metabolic syndrome (a collection of issues such as high blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol and glucose regulation problems). So as Mister Ed’s theme song declares, “Go right to the source and ask the horse. He’ll give you the answer that you’ll endorse.” In this case, it’s a plant-based diet with healthy proteins.