Chocolate Enhances Immunity. Now That’s Good News!

Once thought of as an unhealthy indulgence, dark chocolate is now known to be an important health food. Science has proven an incredible array of benefits for this delicious health food, especially for the heart. But a new study has now shown that when you enjoy dark chocolate, you’re also benefitting your immune system. . . .

Researchers divided 123 people into two groups: a lucky one and an unlucky one! The lucky one got to drink a cup of hot chocolate every day. The hot chocolate was made from cocoa that contained 360mg of polyphenols, one of the most important active ingredients in chocolate. The unlucky group acted as a control and didn’t get to drink the hot chocolate. The hot chocolate drink was consumed for three weeks before and after getting a vaccination against influenza A (H1N1).

The people who drank the hot chocolate had a significantly greater increase in the activity of their natural killer cells. Natural killer cells detect and destroy virus infected cells to keep the virus from spreading. That means that chocolate activates your body’s own natural immunity and protects you from the flu. The study also shows that chocolate enhances the immune response induced by getting a vaccine, improving the protection.

One more reason why dark chocolate is the most delicious health food!

J Sci Food Agric 2015 [epub ahead of print].doi:10.1002/jsfa.7197