Chocolate, "Food of the Gods": History, Science, and Human Health

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Res Public Health

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2019 Dec 11

PMID 31817669

Citations 26

Authors

Maria Teresa Montagna

Giusy Diella

Francesco Triggiano

Giusy Rita Caponio

Osvalda De Giglio

Giuseppina Caggiano

Agostino Di Ciaula

Piero Portincasa

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chocolate is well known for its fine flavor, and its history began in ancient times, when the Maya considered chocolate (a cocoa drink prepared with hot water) the "Food of the Gods". The food industry produces many different types of chocolate: in recent years, dark chocolate, in particular, has gained great popularity. Interest in chocolate has grown, owing to its physiological and potential health effects, such as regulation of blood pressure, insulin levels, vascular functions, oxidation processes, prebiotic effects, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism. However, further translational and epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm available results and to evaluate other possible effects related to the consumption of cocoa and chocolate, verifying in humans the effects hitherto demonstrated only in vitro, and suggesting how best to consume (in terms of dose, mode, and time) chocolate in the daily diet.

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