Description

Cocoa beans are the seeds of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao). The beans are used to make chocolate  and are a source of many antioxidants.

Cocoa contains a variety of chemicals, including antioxidants called flavonoids. It's not clear how these might work in the body, but they appear to relax the blood vessels. This could lead to lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation and blockage of blood vessels.

People most commonly use cocoa for heart disease and high pressure. It is also used for high cholesterol, memory, aging skin, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these other uses.

Uses & Effectiveness 

 

• Heart disease. Eating cocoa lowers the chance of heart disease and death. Cocoa might have this effect by lowering blood pressure and improving blood vessel function.
• High blood pressure. Eating dark chocolate or cocoa products for **8 weeks can lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. But these benefits are only seen when cocoa comes from plain, unsweetened chocolate. Eating cocoa from desserts might increase the risk for high blood pressure.

• High cholesterol. Consuming cocoa by mouth does not seem to improve cholesterol level in people with high cholesterol.
• Stretch mark. Applying a cream containing cocoa butter during pregnancy does not seem to prevent stretch marks.