Health beneficial effects of cocoa phenolic compounds: a mini-review

Cocoa is a widely consumed food and a rich source of phenolic compounds, especially flavanols (a type of flavonoid). Different studies have shown that cocoa possesses health beneficial effects by contributing to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, obesity and ageing. However, contradictory results have been reported, which makes necessary to perform wellcontrolled clinical trials and mechanistic studies to fully understand the potential health beneficial effects of cocoa. This work reviews recent studies on the health benefits of cocoa flavanols related to the prevention of relevant chronic diseases, and discusses the potential molecular mechanisms of action.