Question: if you’re given the choice between eating a sugar cookie or a few pieces of chocolate truffles--both of which provide equally high sugar and calories--which should you choose?

There are many who would say a calorie is a calorie, and both are bad for your health; however, you may have guessed that only one of these candies contains health-promoting, brain-boosting nutrients: chocolate truffles for the win! That’s because research has shown that the cocoa in this candy has been linked to improved brain performance. So the answer to your question “what’s the healthiest candy to eat” is chocolate. Alas, in general, eating chocolate candy isn’t good for the waistline; however, there’s a way to eat this delicious treat to minimize the downsides while reaping the brain health benefits.

Can Chocolate Help Your Brain?

More than 40 years ago, researcher Merill Elias began the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study in an attempt to determine the link between blood pressure and brain performance. He monitored factors like obesity, smoking, and other cardiovascular risks, but it wasn’t until late in the study that he considered asking participants about their diets. When he did, he made a surprising discovery. He found that those who eat chocolate weekly tend to perform better cognitively. Specifically, cocoa improves short-term memory, reasoning, and the ability to record information about our environment.

Chocolate Improves Short-Term Memory And Halts Brain Deterioration

While some know dark chocolate best for its fat-burning benefits, few realize that incorporating it into your diet can have positive effects on brain function as well. Here are the many reasons adding this into your regular diet can be beneficial:

Chocolate Has Brain-Boosting Flavanols

A recent study conducted at Harvard Medical School took 90 people aged 61-85 and randomly assigned each a beverage containing varying levels of flavanol. Participants drank either 48 mg (low), 520 mg (intermediate), or 993 mg (high) of the antioxidant over an 8-week span before returning to the lab for neuropsychological testing.

At the study’s conclusion, researchers discovered that those in the “intermediate” and “high” groups performed much better on mental assessments than the ones in the “low” group. Scientists say these findings indicate that adding flavanol-packed cocoa to our diets could very well slow the effects of cognitive decline.

Chocolate Increases Cerebral Blood Flow

As it turns out, some scientists believe chocolate to be a powerful ally in the fight against forgetfulness and brain trauma following stroke. In Macdonald, a researcher from the University of Nottingham, observed study participants as they consumed a cocoa drink. With the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), he found those who finished just one drink enjoyed 2 to 3 hours of improved blood flow afterward. He found cocoa may be beneficial for increasing blood flow and improving brain function, particularly for people who have cognitive impairment from fatigue, insomnia, and aging.

While the drink Macdonald used in the study isn’t available commercially, flavonols found in chocolate are. To reap maximum benefits, opt for dark chocolate over the milk variety. You’ll find a higher concentration of brain-enhancing nutrients and much less sugar than milk chocolate.

Chocolate Helps You Perform Better Mentally Under Stress

In a study conducted at Northumbria University, 30 men and women aged 18 to 35 were instructed to count backward by three from a random number generated by a computer. Researchers found that those who had been given a chocolate drink rich in flavonols had an easier time doing the calculations mentally. David Kennedy, the study co-author and director of brain, performance, and nutrition research centre at the university, stated that participants felt less mentally drained after consuming the drink containing 500 mg of flavanol, but notes that such a high concentration of phytochemicals isn’t easily added to our diets. In other words, binging on five candy bars per day--the amount you’d have to get in order to consume the researched amount of flavanols--is both unhealthy and fattening.

Chocolate: the Healthiest Candy for Weight Loss and Brain Health

According to Heidi Godman, executive editor of the Harvard Health Blog, the best way to get the most benefits from cocoa is to consume it in unprocessed, powder form, with the brands that boast the highest flavanol content being the healthiest for the brain. If you’d rather go the more delicious and practical route, eat a dark chocolate candy bar. Aim for one that’s more than 70% cacao, and eat 1-2 small squares per day.

More Flavanols for Brain Health

Cocoa isn’t the only food that’s high in flavanols. You can get some of this nutrient in foods such as berries, grapes, red wine, kale, tomatoes, and more. Additionally, supplementing with flavanol-rich dietary supplements can ensure you’re getting enough brain-boosting flavanols to reap maximum benefits.

To get a more convenient daily dose of flavanols, add our two powerhouse flavanol-rich formulas to your daily diet: Youthful Brain and Stemcell Renew. This brain-nourishing combination will help you reap the benefits of flavanols, and much more.