According to scientific research carried out by Frontiers in Nutrition, chocolate is actually quite good for you and could even be ‘vital’ for us busy mums!
Apparently the cocoa bean is a rich source of flavanols; which is a class of ‘natural compounds that has neuroprotective effects’.
The Italian researchers, (we always loved the Italians), found that the benefits of cocoa consumption were evident in cognitive performance.
To break that down; it basically means that the flavanols found in the cocoa bean actually help your memory, AND for us women, our sleeping pattern too.
Research participants showed enhancements in working memory performance and improved visual information processing after having had cocoa flavanols.
And for women, eating cocoa after a night of total sleep deprivation essentially counteracted the daily lethargic-like performance which a bad night’s sleep brings about.
Yet, it still has to be noted, that the tests were randomised and not on specific age groups. But that never stopped us before...
So, basically, the next time you’re up for five hours straight in the middle of the night due to teething or a monster under the bed – you have free reign to gorge on chocolate for the foreseeable future.
Trust us – it’s science!
