FlavaNaturals, which launched last October, worked with Barry Callebaut for three years on the development of FlavaBars, a line of chocolate bars containing five times the cocoa flavanol content of a typical dark chocolate bar.

Dietary cocoa flavanols—naturally occurring bioactives found in cocoa—reversed age-related memory decline in healthy older adults, according to a study led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) scientists.

Barry Callebaut has received a positive Scientific Opinion issued by EFSA on the background data to extend the existing health claim to cocoa extract products.

Previous research has shown that flavanols in other foods such as grapes and tea can help fight weight gain and type-2 diabetes.

Dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels.

Steel Horse Coffee pairs the boost of coffee, shown to increase mental clarity and alertness, with 150mg of circulation-supporting cocoa flavanols in every cup.

The results seem to confirm that flavanols in chocolate can indeed protect the brain from neurodegeneration, or at least slow it down.

Eating cocoa flavanols daily may help improve mild cognitive impairment.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has ruled that cocoa powder and dark chocolate can help people improve blood circulation.

Researchers have new analytical techniques to boost understanding of flavanol absorption and metabolism and provide basis for significant in vitro studies to gauge exactly how these compounds work in the body.