North studies prove wine and chocolate are good for you

Apr 7 2009 by The Journal

THE findings of two new studies conducted in our region provide the answers we’ve been longing to hear – red wine and chocolate are good for you.

For some years, there have been arguments to suggest a glass of red wine a day is good for the heart and chocolate can make us happy, as it releases endorphins – or mood enhancers – in the brain.

However, new research from Tyneside academics reveals the odd glass here and the occasional bar there can also improve your performance on challenging, mental tasks. The red wine study was carried out by Emma Wightman from Northumbria University on a group of lucky adults.

This research investigated whether a component of red wine would increase cerebral blood flow and consequently improve brain functions in healthy adults.

Twenty-four adults undertook a series of mental tests for an hour, before which they were given either a placebo, 500mg or 1,000mg of pure polyphenol resveratrol – a red wine extract.

The participants’ cerebral blood flow was monitored throughout the testing phases. The results showed a change in blood flow to the brain and significant improvements in cognitive performance in the people who had been given polyphenol resveratrol.

Emma said: “There is so much conflicting information these days about the effects of diet that it is interesting to see that a component you’ll come across in many everyday foods, including red wine, can have a positive effect on brain function.”

Polyphenol resveratrol can also be found in fruit and vegetables. Meanwhile, Crystal Haskell from the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre at Northumbria University carried out a separate study looking at foods rich in cocoa.

The research suggests that cocoa products, including chocolate bars and chocolate drinks, improve performance on challenging mental tasks, including arithmetics.

In the study, 30 healthy adults consumed chocolate drinks on different days containing 520mg of cocoa flavanols, 993 mg of cocoa flavanols or a control drink. The participants were given a number of mentally demanding tasks to complete, such as counting backwards from 999 in threes. On the days the participants drank the beverages containing 520mg or 993mg of cocoa flavanols they performed significantly better at the arithmetic task. They also reported being less mentally tired during the task.

Commenting on the findings, Prof David Kennedy from the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, added: “The results show that medicinal herbal extracts and plant-derived chemical compounds from common foodstuffs can also improve cognitive performance and mood.”

The findings of both studies were presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, in Brighton.