September 1, 2026

Written by Carly Seligman

As a chocolate enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for reasons to eat more chocolate. So, I was delighted when I stumbled upon scientific work suggesting that chocolate might be beneficial for our brain in addition to our physical health! Let’s review chocolate’s health benefits for our bodies before diving into the details of how it may affect brain health.

What kind of chocolate and how is it good for you?

First off, we need to define what kind of chocolate is thought to be healthy because, unfortunately, a milk chocolate Hershey bar does not make the cut. Chocolate is made from cacao fruit, which grows on cacao trees found in warm, humid environments such as the Amazon rainforest. Cacao is rich in natural plant products called flavonoids¹.Higher percentages of cacao and its flavonoids are the key ingredients in chocolate that translates to health benefits². These health benefits include lowering blood pressure and preventing cardiovascular disease; regulating blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of diabetes; helping with weight management; and protecting against inflammation and possibly even cancer³. Dark chocolate is especially rich in cocoa, with around 50-90% cocoa, and therefore retains many of the health benefits provided by this fruit. On the other hand, milk or white chocolate have much lower percentages of cacao and don’t provide the same potential health benefits⁴.

Chocolate’s perks for the brain

It has long been known that cacao-dense chocolate seems to have lots of positive effects for the body as previously mentioned. However, until recently, much less has been known about chocolate’s effects on the brain. Over the past decade, scientists have become increasingly interested in the benefits that dark chocolate could provide to the brain. A study from 2024 showed that even a single dose of dark chocolate improves performance and concentration during demanding tasks⁵. In this study, the experimenters asked eighteen people to eat two different types of chocolate: one with a high concentration of cacao and the other with a low concentration of cacao. The subjects were then presented with different images and had to quickly respond by pressing the correct computer keys. The experimenters found that the subjects couldn’t concentrate and perform as well for as long after consuming low concentration cacao chocolate; however, they could concentrate and perform well for longer after eating high concentration cacao chocolate. The authors therefore concluded that dark chocolate contributes to the maintenance of performance and concentration during cognitively demanding tasks⁵.

Although this was a small study with a relatively small significant finding, I think it warrants further investigation, especially since this isn’t the only scientific study suggesting that dark chocolate can improve brain function; a paper published in 2017 demonstrated that dark chocolate could improve cognitive function, which are processes performed by the brain such as memory, attention, or planning – all important apsects of intelligence⁶! Finally, another study suggests that dark chocolate may also prevent loss of these cognitive functions with aging and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s⁷. These studies all indicate that dark chocolate may be good for brain health and functioning.

How does chocolate improve brain function?

As mentioned above, the flavonoids found in cacao and dark chocolate provide health benefits to the body¹. Although scientists don’t yet fully understand how dark chocolate improves brain function and health, they think it might also be due to flavonoids. Flavonoids also improve neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, which is the growth of neurons and synapses, respectively^9,10. When more neurons and synapses are established, the brain can store more memories and experiences. Flavonoids can therefore enhance learning and memory by improving these processes. Flavonoids may also prevent or even counteract the breakdown of neurons by supporting the function of proteins that keep neurons alive and healthy⁸. Further, flavonoids may increase blood flow through the brain that may contribute to improve cognitive functioning¹¹. Overall, it seems that there are many ways in which dark chocolate can improve brain function, but further research is needed to support and understand these benefits.

Should you eat more chocolate?

Dark chocolate appears to have numerous health benefits, including improving cardiovascular health, protecting against diabetes, lowering the risk of cancer, and improving cognitive functioning. If you aren’t the biggest fan of dark chocolate, no need to worry! Although dark chocolate is a great source of flavonoids, these compounds are found in many other foods as well, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and tea¹².

So, can chocolate actually make us smarter? Although dark chocolate doesn’t directly make us more intelligent, science suggests that it might improve overall brain health as well as cognitive functioning, allowing us to perform better for longer! In my opinion, that’s a good enough reason to enjoy a little more dark chocolate a little more often. 

References

1. Panche, A. N., Diwan, A. D. & Chandra, S. R. Flavonoids: an overview. J Nutr Sci 5, e47 (2016).

2. Kelishadi, R. Cacao to cocoa to chocolate: healthy food? ARYA Atherosclerosis Journal 1, (2010).

3. Samanta, S. et al. Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches. Current Research in Food Science 5, 1916–1943 (2022).

4. Dark chocolate. The Nutrition Source – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/dark-chocolate/ (2025).

5. Sasaki, A. et al. The effects of dark chocolate on cognitive performance during cognitively demanding tasks: A randomized, single-blinded, crossover, dose-comparison study. Heliyon 10, e24430 (2024).

6. Socci, V., Tempesta, D., Desideri, G., De Gennaro, L. & Ferrara, M. Enhancing Human Cognition with Cocoa Flavonoids. Front. Nutr. 4, 19 (2017).

7. Zeli, C., Lombardo, M., Storz, M. A., Ottaviani, M. & Rizzo, G. Chocolate and Cocoa-Derived Biomolecules for Brain Cognition during Ageing. Antioxidants 11, 1353 (2022).

8. Spencer, J. P. E. Flavonoids and brain health: multiple effects underpinned by common mechanisms. Genes Nutr 4, 243–250 (2009).

9. Spencer, J. P. E. Food for thought: the role of dietary flavonoids in enhancing human memory, learning and neuro-cognitive performance: Symposium on ‘Diet and mental health’. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 67, 238–252 (2008).

10. Valente, T. et al. A Diet Enriched in Polyphenols and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, LMN Diet, Induces Neurogenesis in the Subventricular Zone and Hippocampus of Adult Mouse Brain. JAD 18, 849–865 (2009).

11. Lamport, D. J. et al. The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults during conscious resting state: a placebo controlled, crossover, acute trial. Psychopharmacology 232, 3227–3234 (2015).

12. Waheed Janabi, A. H. et al. Flavonoid-rich foods (FRF): A promising nutraceutical approach against lifespan-shortening diseases. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences https://doi.org/10.22038/ijbms.2019.35125.8353 (2019) doi:10.22038/ijbms.2019.35125.8353.

No AI was used for this piece.

Cover photo by u_he12qucmwq from Pixabay.