Uzun Süreli Kakao Flavanolleri Alımının Bilişsel İşlevlere ve Duygudurumuna Etkileri ve Bu Etkilerin Altındaki Fizyolojik Mekanizmalar: Bir Derleme Çalışması

Flavanols are a subclass of flavonoids, a group of natural compounds found in plant-based foods. They are abundant in nutrients, including cocoa, grapes, apples, black and green teas (Gu et al., 2004). Cocoa has a special place as it contains the greatest amount of flavanols among other flavanol-containing nutrients (Lee et al., 2003). Over the last two decades, researchers from various disciplines investigated the health benefits of cocoa-derived products containing flavanols. For instance, cocoa flavanols (CF) intake was proven to reduce platelet aggregation, blood pressure, and insulin resistance (Corti et al., 2009). In this paper, studies examining the effects of long-term CF intake on cognitive functions and mood and the physiological mechanism underlying these effects are reviewed.