Eating More Chocolate May Benefit the Gut Microbiome!



A recent in pigs has demonstrated that cocoa phenols has the ability to increase commensal bacteria in the intestine. Recent studies have shown that cocoa phenols may have health benefits such as being a cancer preventative, prevent heart disease and help fight aging. The researchers of this study conclude that some of the benefits of cocoa phenols may stem from its activities in the intestinal tract and influencing it immunity.  

 Flavanol-Enriched Cocoa Powder Alters the Intestinal Microbiota, Tissue and Fluid Metabolite Profiles, and Intestinal Gene Expression in Pigs. The Journal of nutrition (2 March 2016) by Saebyeol Jang, Jianghao Sun, Pei Chen, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13969017