A 'Key' Chemical In Dark Chocolate May Slow Ageing

Though chocolate is not likely to be a health food in and of itself, some of the components found in it – especially dark chocolate – have benefits.

It contains a surprising amount of fibre, heart-healthy polyphenols, and flavonoids.

And new research published in Aging found that theombrine – a chemical found in dark chocolate – is “associated with slower epigenetic ageing”, too. 

Why might dark chocolate slow ageing? 

This research compared blood-based markers of biological ageing to participants’ blood theobromine levels. 

“Biological ageing” refers to the age your body acts, not its chronological age. 

After looking at 509 individuals from TwinsUK and 1,160 from KORA, the scientists found that those with higher theobromine levels in their blood had a lower biological age than their chronological (year) ages. 

Theobromine, which is poisonous to dogs, has previously been linked to better heart health outcomes, like more controlled blood pressure.

“Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer,” said senior study author Professor Jordana Bell.

The Professor in Epigenomics added, “While we’re not saying that people should eat more dark chocolate, this research can help us understand how everyday foods may hold clues to healthier, longer lives.”

And lead researcher Dr Ramy Saad stated, “This is a very exciting finding, and the next important questions are what is behind this association and how can we explore the interactions between dietary metabolites and our epigenome further?

“This approach could lead us to important discoveries towards ageing, and beyond, in common and rare diseases.”

Does this mean I should eat a load of chocolate to stop ageing?

Dr Ricardo Costeira, a postdoctoral researcher who was involved in the study, told King’s College London that more research is needed. 

“Eating more dark chocolate isn’t automatically beneficial as it also contains sugar, fat and other compounds,” the university’s site added. 

As the British Heart Foundation put it, “Think of dark chocolate as a treat that may be beneficial to your health, rather than a ‘health food’ you should eat lots of.”