Mice get smarter on chocolate

A chemical found in chocolate (also grapes, tea and blueberries), in conjunction with exercise, has been found to improve the memory of mice, according to a study by the Salk Institute and published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

The chemical epicatechin could now undergo tests to see if it also has the same memory improvement benefits on humans.

Researchers, working in conjunction with the chocolate firm Mars, compared mice that were fed a diet supplemented with epicatechin with those fed a typical mouse diet. Half the mice in each group were then exercised on a wheel for a period each day, then a month later trained to find a platform hidden in a pool of water.

The mice that exercised and ate the diet enhanced with epicatechin remembered the location of the platform longer than the other mice. The mice that ate the epicatechin but didn't get their daily exercise also showed improved memory, but lagged behind their fitter mouse friends.

Although this is not the first time chocolate has been linked with improvements to health (flavanols), researchers and specialists do urge caution. Chocolate also contains a lot of fat and while eating a small amount of chocolate just may give you some health benefits, no matter how small, eating a huge amount everyday will simply make you fatter.