Scientists have revealed how to have a sharper mind: it is worth drinking this drink more often Life

Of course, it all depends on what that drink contains. Sugar doesn’t really help a person. But the main ingredient in that hot drink, cocoa, can improve mental alertness. The researchers included 18 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 40 in this study. Initially, the researchers measured the efficiency of their cerebral circulation using a hypercapnia and spectroscopy method. The study participants then drank cocoa and the test was repeated. The cocoa had to be drunk twice, one drink was also saturated with flavonoids. They also had to run tests that were supposed to highlight their mental abilities.

Sounds complicated? Well, this is what scientific methods look like. Study participants initially breathed air with carbon dioxide levels 100 times higher than normal. This causes hypercapnia, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. The body responds with a series of tricks that help increase the amount of oxygen in the brain, scientists have measured using spectroscopy.

Then, the study participants drank cocoa, a drink rich in flavonoids. It is a substance found in cocoa beans, grapes, apples, tea, and berries that is beneficial for the cardiovascular system. To date, the benefits of flavonoids for the brain have not been described or demonstrated in detail, but the mental possibilities are, at least in part, certainly related to cerebral circulation. Therefore, the results of this study were not very surprising.

And the results were as follows: Flavonoid-enriched cocoa helped study participants react faster to hypercapnia. That is, the oxygen concentration in their brains increased one minute earlier than those who drank pure cocoa. Plus, that flavanol-flavored drink (actually, it didn’t change the taste) allowed study participants to solve mental acuity tests 11% faster.

Cocoa already has flavonoids, you don’t really need to add them. Also, if you don’t like this drink, you can choose from a variety of fruits. Flavonoids help lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and apparently mental performance.