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This Ingredient Is The Best-Kept Secret For Brain Health—Here’s How To Get It*

Author:
December 16, 2024
mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
By Braelyn Wood
mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
Braelyn Wood is the Deputy Commerce Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism from Northwestern University, along with a certificate in marketing.
Image by CocoaVia / Contributor
December 16, 2024

Humans are living longer with every generation, but this increase in lifespan doesn’t equate to an increase in healthspan. Healthspan is the years when your body is still healthy and mobile, without need for regular medical care. And we’d argue it’s just as important as longevity.

While we all know the basics for supporting healthspan—sleep, movement, and nutrition—there are ways to go above and beyond in your support. One little-known tool? Flavanols. 

Found in plants, these bioactive compounds are not considered essential nutrients for the body, but scientific research shows they may be increasingly important to living and aging well—especially for heart and brain health.* 

Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about flavanols, including the best way to increase your intake.

What are flavanols?

A sub-class of flavanoids, flavanols are bioactives found in plants. While these compounds are considered non-essential to life, they’re an essential tool for any biohacker hoping to increase their healthspan.

While a variety of foods have flavanols—tea, apples, berries, and more—cocoa flavanols are one of the most studied forms of the nutrient. Specifically more than two decades of research has been dedicated to unlocking the health benefits of cocoa flavanols. Here’s what we know.

What are the health benefits of flavanols?

Brain Health

A 2014 study published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming cocoa-derived flavanols could boost cognitive function and support metabolism.*

Additional research shows cocoa flavanols specifically offer neuroprotective benefits, which include supporting normal brain function. In turn, this promotes better memory, learning, and cognitive function.*

Heart Health

Thanks to The Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), we have a breadth of research on the perks of integrating cocoa flavanols into our diets. 

This groundbreaking trial on both men and women has found that supplementing with 500 mg of cocoa-derived flavanols promotes a strong cardiovascular system by supporting vascular function and healthy blood flow.*

What’s the best way to increase your flavanol intake? 

While flavanols are derived from plants, increasing your intake of red grapes, green tea, and berries alone may not be enough to unlock the health benefits above. Plus, flavanols are not listed on food labels, making it hard to know if you’re getting enough in your diet.

For example, cocoa flavanols may be one of the most studied plant-based nutrients but consuming dark chocolate isn’t enough. The production process of dark chocolate often destroys flavanols (and introduces other ingredients like added sugar or saturated fats that negate the bioactive’s heart-focused perks).

Opting for a supplement is an easy way to ensure you’re hitting a set amount of flavanols every single day to support brain and heart health.* What’s more, you can take the exact cocoa extract, Cocoapro™, used in the COSMOS study. 

Cocoapro™ is also the most concentrated source of cocoa flavanols on the market today—and it’s the key ingredient in all of CocoaVia™ supplements.

CocoaVia™ Cardio Health Powder & Capsules

$40
A daily serving of 500mg of Cocoapro™ cocoa extract encourages a strong heart and cardiovascular performance.*

CocoaVia™ Memory & Focus Capsule

$45
By combining Cocoapro+™ with lutein and 50mg of caffeine, this supplement can support healthy blood flow, brain function, and memory with just a single capsule.*

CocoaVia™ Memory+ Supplement

$45
Taking three capsules of this brain-boosting supplement can improve memory and brain function in as little as 8 weeks* by supporting your word recall, spatial memory, and long-term memory.

What makes CocoaVia™ products unique

Every CocoaVia™ product has at least 500 mg of Cocoapro™ per serving, a level proven to promote a strong heart and cardiovascular system.* 

The brand’s proprietary cocoa extract starts at cocoa beans on sustainable farms in Indonesia. These beans are carefully dried within 48 hours of harvesting to preserve their flavanol count. From there, they undergo a gentle roast to further preserve flavanol count. The final extract, Cocoapro™, is 24x more concentrated than the cocoa flavanols in natural cocoa powder.

And while CocoaVia™ pays careful attention to the quality and efficacy of its key ingredient, the attention to detail doesn’t end there. Every formula is Non-GMO project verified and certified vegan. What’s more, they meet NSF certifications, i.e. strict standards for manufacturing monitored by extensive product testing and plant inspections.

The takeaway

You don’t just want to live to 100—you want to feel good doing it. Supporting a healthy lifespan is essential to making every year count. By increasing your daily intake of flavanols with CocoaVia™ supplements, you can unlock long-term support for brain and heart health.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Disclaimer: If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

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