Beauty hot spot: cocoa flavanols

health claims of cocoa flavanols found in cocoa beans have been endorsed by the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA)
and have gained notch in recent years as a functional food and beverage ingredient.cocoa flavanols help maintain vascular elasticity and thus normal blood flow, which is one of the reasons why cocoa flavanols are the focus. To achieve healthy results, you need to consume
200
mg of cocoa flavanols per day, either by eating
2.5
grams of flavanol-rich cocoa powder or
10
grams of flavanol-rich dark chocolate.is the first health claim to be praised in the cocoa and chocolate industries, while in Europe there are few innovations that mimic the use of cocoa flavanols in chocolate foods and beverages. How do we do that?cocoa cure wrinkles?recent research suggests that the use of cocoa flavanols may have a good effect on the skin, which may help cocoa flavanols to gain a foothold in the beauty market. For
,
study conducted in South Korea found that regular use of cocoa flavanols had a good effect on facial wrinkles and skin elasticity in older women. In addition, cocoa flavanol supplements may also have the effect of preventing skin aging.other studies have shown that the relationship between cocoa flavanols and healthy skin may be related to the function of cocoa flavanols to regulate blood flow.blood circulation health is of great benefit to the skin, blood flow for the skin and other body tissues transport oxygen and important nutrients. Compared to low-content cocoa flavanol supplements, high-content cocoa flavanol supplements
(326
mg
/
day
)
can increase skin tightness and moisture. And can significantly reduce the rough skin and visible scars.Lack of ingredient awareness is a factor limiting the development of beauty supplements according to Inmint's
2016
food and beverage trends, "inside out

consumers are aware of the relationship between diet and appearance, so the concept of "inside-out beauty" is increasingly accepted. For example, two-thirds of British consumers believe that diet is the most important factor in determining skin condition, and three-fifths of Chinese consumers believe that a balanced diet improves skin.despite the importance of consumer-directed diets for skin health, the use of beauty supplements remains low, a result of a number of factors. One reason is that there is limited awareness of the efficacy of common ingredients used in beauty supplements.While consumers generally understand the efficacy of ingredients in health products, such as vitamin
C
and antioxidants, consumers know little about more specific ingredients in beauty products, such as hyalurino acid and coenzyme
Q10
.for cocoa flavanols, on the one hand, more research is needed to demonstrate their effects on skin health, but on the other hand, future cocoa flavanols are certainly suitable as beauty supplements. Since the European Food Safety Authority endorses its functional health claims, cocoa flavanols will have a significant advantage and more innovations, including supplements, should be seen in different product categories. This will increase consumer awareness of cocoa flavanols as a functional component and the efficacy of regulating blood flow. Brands market these beauty supplements by educating consumers about the relationship between blood flow and skin health.