Nutrition topic
Dark Chocolate and Cocoa
Last updated 2026-07-02· Last reviewed 2026-07-02· 1 min read
Reviewed by the Ultimate Longevity Bible editorial team. Educational reference — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
Bioactives
- Flavanols (epicatechin, catechin, oligomeric procyanidins).
- Theobromine.
- Small amounts of caffeine.
COSMOS evidence
The COSMOS trial randomised ~21,000 adults to 500 mg/day cocoa flavanols or placebo. Primary composite CV endpoint hit at 27% relative risk reduction for CV death — meaningful and among the strongest supplement CV-outcome signals.
Practical
- Dietary cocoa: dark chocolate ≥ 70% cocoa provides significant flavanols but is high in fat and (often) sugar. ~30 g/day is reasonable.
- Standardised extract: matches trial protocol without the calorie load.
- Alkalised (Dutch-process) cocoa: has substantially lower flavanol content.
Cautions
- Cocoa concentrates cadmium; lead contamination in some products.
- Sugar-heavy chocolate offsets the polyphenol benefit.
- Lipoprotein(a) — Lp(a) — Biomarker.
- Resting Heart Rate (RHR) — Biomarker.
- PCSK9 — Gene.
- Low-Dose Colchicine — Intervention.
- GLP-1 Agonists (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Liraglutide) — Intervention.
Related entries
Mediterranean diet, Berries and polyphenols, Cardiovascular disease.