Benefits of Polyphenols and Methylxanthines from Cocoa Beans on Dietary Metabolic Disorders

The Health Impact of Cocoa from Cultivation to the Formation of Biogenic Amines: An Updated Review

Cocoa and chocolate are known for their health benefits, which depend on factors like cocoa variety, post-harvest practices, and manufacturing processes, including fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding, and refining. These processing methods can influence the concentration and bioavailability of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols that are linked to cardiovascular health and antioxidant effects. Recent scientific research has led to the development of cocoa-based products marketed as functional foods. However, despite the growing interest in the functional potential of cocoa, the literature lacks crucial information about the properties of different varieties of cocoa and their possible implications for human health. Moreover, climate change is affecting global cocoa production, potentially altering product composition and health-related characteristics. In addition to polyphenols, other compounds of interest are biogenic amines, due to their role and potential toxic effects on human health. Based on toxicological data and recent research on the complex relationship between biogenic amines and cocoa fermentation, setting limits or standards for biogenic amines in cocoa and chocolate could help ensure product safety. Finally, new trends in research on biogenic amines in chocolate suggest that these compounds might also be used as quality markers, and that product formulation and process conditions could change content and diversity of the different amines.

Intake of Dark and Milk Chocolate Differently Affects Autonomic Nervous Control of the Heart During Rest and Mental Stress

OBJECTIVE

Chocolate is a popular food that may affect the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single dose of dark or milk chocolate on ANS cardiac control during rest and mental stress induced by the Stroop test (ST).

METHODS

Healthy participants, divided into DARK or MILK chocolate groups, ingested corresponding type of chocolate (1 g/kg body weight). They underwent measurement of ANS during relaxation and ST before and 2 h after chocolate consumption. ANS control was assessed by determination of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability using parameters related to complex autonomic modulation (TP, SDNN) or primary vagal modulation (HFnu, RMSSD).

RESULTS

HR was always increased during ST in both groups. Relaxation HR values after chocolate ingestion were higher only in the DARK chocolate group. During ST, values of TP, SDNN and HFnu decreased before and after chocolate ingestion in the DARK group, but only before chocolate ingestion in the MILK group. RMSSD values decreased during ST before and after chocolate ingestion in both groups. Relaxation TP, RMSSD and HFnu values after chocolate ingestion were lower in the DARK but not in the MILK group.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that even a single dose of milk chocolate attenuates changes in ANS cardiac control induced by mental stress, whereas a single dose of dark chocolate has an activating effect on the heart via modification of ANS cardiac control at rest. Different levels of sugars and cocoa biologically active compounds in the two types of chocolate could explain the observed effects.

Selected Mesoamerican Crops - Anti-Obesity Potential and Health Promotion. A Review

Mesoamerica is the center of origin of a great number of food crops that nowadays are part of a healthy diet. Pre-Columbian civilizations utilized more than 90% of these foods as ingredient or in main dishes, as well as for remedies and religious ceremonies. Since several years ago, Mesoamerican foods have been recognized by their outstanding concentration of bioactive compounds, including, phenolic compounds, pigments, essential fatty acids, amino acids, peptides, carbohydrates and vitamins, which provide a great number of health benefits. As a result of their unique composition, these ancient crops have several positive effects, such as hypoglycemic, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, neuroprotective, anti-diarrheal, and anti-hypercholesterolemic capacity. Hence, this review is focused mainly in the anti-obesity and antioxidant potential of some of the most cultivated, harvested, as well as commercialized and consumed, food crops native of Mesoamerica, like, nopal and its fruit (Opuntia ficus indica spp.), chia (Salvia hispanica L.), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao).

Interactions between polyphenols from Theobroma cacao and Lactobacillales to evaluate the potential of a combined strategy for intestinal free-fatty acid removal

Reducing the absorption of lipids in the gastrointestinal tract is one approach used to manage caloric intake in the fight against excessive weight. Biocompounds, such as polyphenols and probiotics, have been used in this regard. However, some studies have reported that polyphenols have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on bacterial growth. This study aimed to investigate the resistance to polyphenol-rich extracts from Theobroma cacao L. of Lactobacillales isolated from the human fecal microbiota of lean volunteers (with high saturated fat consumption), to further the knowledge of the potential combination of these bioactive compounds. The strains were selected using an improved and affordable strategy that allowed the rapid screening of strains with fat-removing capacity. Among 1400 isolates, two strains, Lactobacillus sp. A1 and Pediococcus acidilactici E1, were selected due to their capacity to remove saturated fats from the culture media similar to the reference strain Lactobacillus sp. JBD301. Both isolated strains differed in their resistance to cocoa polyphenols: the extract did not affect the growth of strain A1, but reduced the growth of strain E1. However, the extract did not affect the level of in vitro fat removal by either strain, confirming the potential use of a combination of bacteria and polyphenols as a promising strategy for the intestinal removal of free fatty acids.

Dark chocolate (70% cocoa) attenuates the inflammatory marker TNF-α in patients on hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Inflammation and oxidative stress lead to a high risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Food rich in polyphenols such as dark chocolate may be an effective strategy to mitigate inflammation and delay CKD complications, outwith sensorial pleasure promotion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dark chocolate on inflammation and oxidative stress markers in patients with CKD on hemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

A clinical trial was carried out with 59 patients who were allocated into the chocolate group [40g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa) offered during HD sessions, 3×/week] or the control group with any intervention for two months. Plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 were evaluated by the ELISA method. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and LDLox levels were evaluated as lipid peroxidation markers. Routine biochemical parameters were analysed using commercial BioClin® kits.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients completed the chocolate group (18 men, 53.0 (16) years and 31.0 (39) months on HD) and 11 in the control group (7 men, 48.0 (17.5) years and 44.0 (56.5) months on HD). Regarding the differences between the groups, the patients who received dark chocolate had reduced plasma levels of TNF-α compared to the control (p = 0.008). No significant changes were observed in the oxidative stress parameters evaluated in both groups. Routine biochemical (including phosphorus and potassium levels) and anthropometric parameters and food intake were not changed after the study period.

CONCLUSION

The intervention with dark chocolate (70% cocoa) for two months reduced the plasma levels of TNF-α in patients with CKD on HD. In addition, it is essential to emphasise that chocolate intake did not increase the plasma levels of phosphorus and potassium in these patients. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04600258.

Theobroma cacao and Theobroma grandiflorum: Botany, Composition and Pharmacological Activities of Pods and Seeds

Cocoa and cupuassu are evergreen Amazonian trees belonging to the genus Theobroma, with morphologically distinct fruits, including pods and beans. These beans are generally used for agri-food and cosmetics and have high fat and carbohydrates contents. The beans also contain interesting bioactive compounds, among which are polyphenols and methylxanthines thought to be responsible for various health benefits such as protective abilities against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders and other metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Although these pods represent 50-80% of the whole fruit and provide a rich source of proteins, they are regularly eliminated during the cocoa and cupuassu transformation process. The purpose of this work is to provide an overview of recent research on cocoa and cupuassu pods and beans, with emphasis on their chemical composition, bioavailability, and pharmacological properties. According to the literature, pods and beans from cocoa and cupuassu are promising ecological and healthy resources.

Maternal Supplementation with a Cocoa Extract during Lactation Deeply Modulates Dams' Metabolism, Increases Adiponectin Circulating Levels and Improves the Inflammatory Profile in Obese Rat Offspring

High-flavonoid cocoa consumption has been associated with beneficial properties. However, there are scarce data concerning the effects of maternal cocoa intake on dams and in their progeny. Here, we evaluated in rats whether maternal supplementation with a high-flavan-3-ol cocoa extract (CCX) during lactation (200 mg.kg^-1.day^-1) produced beneficial effects on dams and in their normoweight (STD-CCX group) and cafeteria-fed obese (CAF-CCX group) adult male offspring. Maternal intake of CCX significantly increased the circulating levels of adiponectin and decreased the mammary gland lipid content of dams. These effects were accompanied by increased energy expenditure and circulating free fatty acids, as well as by a higher expression of lipogenic and adiponectin-related genes in their mammary glands, which could be related to a compensatory mechanism to ensure enough lipid supply to the pups. CCX consumption programmed both offspring groups towards increased plasma total adiponectin levels, and decreased liver weight and lean/fat ratio. Furthermore, CAF-CCX progeny showed an improvement of the inflammatory profile, evidenced by the significant decrease of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) circulating levels and the mRNA levels of the gene encoding the major histocompatibility complex, class II invariant chain (Cd74), a marker of M1 macrophage phenotype, in the epididymal white adipose tissue. Although further studies are needed, these findings can pave the way for using CCX as a nutraceutical supplement during lactation.

Dietary supplementation with Mexican foods, Opuntia ficus indica, Theobroma cacao, and Acheta domesticus: Improving obesogenic and microbiota features in obese mice

INTRODUCTION

An obesogenic diet, a diet high in saturated fats and sugars, is a risk factor for the development of multiple obesity-related diseases. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with a mixture of Mexican functional foods (MexMix), Opuntia ficus indica (nopal), Theobroma cacao, and Acheta domesticus (edible crickets), compared with a high-fat and fructose/sucrose diet on an obesogenic mice model.

METHODS

For this study, 18 male C57BL/6J mice were used, which were divided into three groups: (1) control group: normal diet (ND), (2) HF/FS group: high-fat diet along with 4.2% fructose/sucrose and water (ad libitum access), and (3) therapeutic group (MexMix): HF/FS diet up to week 8, followed by HF/FS diet supplemented with 10% nopal, 10% cocoa, and 10% cricket for 8 weeks.

RESULTS

MexMix mice showed significantly reduced body weight, liver weight, visceral fat, and epididymal fat compared with HF/FS mice. Levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, insulin, glucose, GIP, leptin, PAI-1, and resistin were also significantly reduced. For identifying the gut microbiota in the model, 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis was performed, and the results showed that MexMix supplementation increased the abundance of Lachnospira, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, and Blautia, bacteria involved in multiple beneficial metabolic effects. It is noteworthy that the mice supplemented with MexMix showed improvements in cognitive parameters, as evaluated by the novel object recognition test.

CONCLUSION

Hence, supplementation with MexMix food might represent a potential strategy for the treatment of obesity and other diseases associated with excessive intake of fats and sugars.

Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches

Dark chocolate gets popularity for several decades due to its enormous health benefits. It contains several health-promoting factors (bioactive components - polyphenols, flavonoids, procyanidins, theobromines, etc, and vitamins and minerals) that positively modulate the immune system of human beings. It confers safeguards against cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancers, and other brain-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, etc. Dark chocolate is considered a functional food due to its anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. It also has a well-established role in weight management and the alteration of a lipid profile to a healthy direction. But during the processing of dark chocolate, several nutrients are lost (polyphenol, flavonoids, flavan 3 ol, ascorbic acid, and thiamine). So, fortification would be an effective method of enhancing the overall nutrient content and also making the dark chocolate self-sufficient. Thus, the focus of this review study is to gather all the experimental studies done on dark chocolate fortification. Several ingredients were used for the fortification, such as fruits (mulberry, chokeberries, and elderberries), spices (cinnamon), phytosterols, peanut oil, probiotics (mainly Lactobacillus, bacillus spices), prebiotics (inulin, xanthan gum, and maltodextrin), flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, etc. Those fortifications were done to raise the total antioxidant content as well as essential fatty acid content simultaneously reducing total calorie content. Sometimes, the fortification was done to improve physical properties like viscosity, rheological propertiesand also improve overall consumer acceptance by modifying its bitter taste.

Cocoa seeds and chocolate products interaction with gut microbiota; mining microbial and functional biomarkers from mechanistic studies, clinical trials and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing

In recent years, gut microbiome has evolved as a focal point of interest with growing recognition that a well-balanced gut microbiota is highly relevant to an individual's health status. The present review provides a mechanistic insight on the effects of cocoa chemicals on the gut microbiome and further reveals in silico biomarkers, taxonomic and functional features that distinguish gut microbiome of cocoa consumers and controls by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing data. The polyphenols in cocoa can change the gut microbiota either by inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the gut such as Clostridium perfringens or by increasing the growth of beneficial microbiota in the gut such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. This paper demonstrates the holistic effect of gut microbiota on cocoa chemicals and how it impacts human health. We present herein the first comprehensive review and analysis of how raw and roasted cocoa and its products can specifically influence gut homeostasis, and likewise, how microbiota metabolizes cocoa chemicals. In addition to that, our 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis revealed that the flavone and flavonols metabolism, aminobenzoate degradation and fatty acid elongation pathways represent the three most important signatures of microbial functions associated with cocoa consumption.

Polyphenols in Metabolic Diseases

Polyphenols (PPs) are a large group of phytochemicals containing phenolic rings with two or more hydroxyl groups. They possess powerful antioxidant properties, multiple therapeutic effects, and possible health benefits in vivo and in vitro, as well as reported clinical studies. Considering their free-radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory properties, these substances can be used to treat different kinds of conditions associated with metabolic disorders. Many symptoms of metabolic syndrome (MtS), including obesity, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, elevated blood sugar, accelerating aging, liver intoxication, hypertension, as well as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, are substantially relieved by dietary PPs. The present study explores the bioprotective properties and associated underlying mechanisms of PPs. A detailed understanding of these natural compounds will open up new opportunities for producing unique natural PP-rich dietary and medicinal plans, ultimately affirming their health benefits.