Autumn has arrived, and with it, cooler temperatures that make us want to lie under a blanket and drink a delicious hot drink.
Tea, coffee, latte, hot chocolate, matcha... It's not always easy to make a decision.
According to researchers at the University of Birmingham, one particular drink can warm us up and boost our cognitive abilities at the same time. Something to help us make our choices, right?
The researchers conducted an experiment with 18 healthy men aged 18 to 40, asking them to inhale 5% carbon dioxide, which is about 100 times the amount normally found in the air.
The aim of this study was to examine blood flow in the brain. The researchers then analyzed changes in oxygenation levels in the frontal cortex of participants who performed a series of cognitive tests of increasing difficulty.
Each participant was tested before and after drinking the famous drink, which is high in flavonoids and, in particular, flavanols, antioxidant compounds.
In cognitive tests, the researchers found significant differences in the speed and accuracy with which the volunteers completed the most complex tasks: those who took the flavonoid-enriched drink completed the tasks an average of 11 percent faster than the others.
They had the highest blood oxygenation levels, according to results published in the journal Scientific Reports.
"We can link this to our findings of improved blood oxygenation; if you're challenged, your brain requires higher blood oxygen levels to cope with the challenge.
This also suggests that flavanols may be particularly beneficial when performing complex cognitive tasks," explained Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, lead author of the study.
Flavanols already have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health: they improve circulation, support vascular health, and may even help lower blood pressure. Here, cocoa flavanols have shown their benefits for the brain.
The researchers actually conducted their study on a cocoa-based drink. So it is the famous hot chocolate (made with milk or water) that can improve our cognitive abilities.
Previous studies have already shown that flavanols can help maintain memory and cognitive function as we age. They are also found in grapes, apples, berries, or even tea.
