What chemicals from chocolate provide a major source of antioxidant activity?

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Procyanidins provide the majority of antioxidant activity in cocoa products (200). In addition to polyphenols, cocoa contains methylxanthine compounds—predominantly theobromine—about 2% to 3% by weight.

What type of chocolate has a high antioxidant content?

Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. Studies show that dark chocolate can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.

What polyphenol components are in chocolate?

Chocolates is also rich in polyphenol substances, such as (–)-epicatechin (EC), (+)-catechin, quercetin (including its glucoside), clovamide, deoxyclovamide, trans-resveratrol and its glucoside (trans-piceid) and procyanidin [41,45].

How do polyphenols act as antioxidants?

Polyphenols have been found to be strong antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals by donating an electron or hydrogen atom. The highly conjugated system and certain hydroxylation patterns such as the 3-hydroxy group in flavonols are considered important in the antioxidant activities.

What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are micronutrients that naturally occur in plants. They’re included in many supplements, though they’re also easy to get in your diet from foods like fruits, vegetables, teas, and spices. There are more than 8,000 types of polyphenols, which include: Flavonoids like quercetin and catechins in fruits.

Which chocolate is highest in flavonoids?

dark chocolate
In fact, dark chocolate contains high levels of flavonoids. A study published in The Lancet showed that chocolate contained four times as much catechin, a type of flavonoid, as tea.

Does all chocolate have polyphenols?

It is well known that cocoa and dark chocolate possess polyphenols as major constituents whose dietary consumption has been associated to beneficial effects.

What polyphenols are in dark chocolate?

Results. Various studies show that dark chocolate and cocoa contain a significant amount of polyphenols, mainly flavonols 5, 7. Its consumption leads to an increase in bioactive nitric oxide (NO) lowering blood pressure (BP) 7.

Are all polyphenols antioxidants?

Studies show that polyphenols are powerful antioxidants. In this role, they prevent or reverse damage in your cells caused by aging, the environment, and your lifestyle. Over time, this damage is linked to an increased risk of many chronic diseases.