title: Cocoa and Human Health: From Head to Foot--A Review.
abstract: The cocoa, as part of the wonderful nature, provides the mankind a wide variety of valuable food products and health benefits. The most known and universally relished product derived from this fruit is chocolate, an amazing and unique food for the human nutrition with records of consumption of similar products dating to 1000 years BC. In fact, the cocoa is a complex food that includes over 300 different components. This review is designed to inform scientists, technicians, academicians, farmers, and interested communities of numerous studies that have been conducted worldwide to investigate the properties of various cocoa constituents, their relations to human health, and their potential role in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions. The general population, for example in Brazil, despite being one of the major producers of cocoa, is poorly informed of the significant and beneficial properties of cocoa. The present review covers important topics linking cocoa to human health and show the state of the art of effect of cocoa in different systems that comprise the human body. The paper is organized based on the main human organ system and includes: cardiovascular/circulatory, neurological/nervous, oral health, endocrine, lymphatic and immunological, respiratory, reproductive, and dermatological systems. Scientific findings tend to confirm the historic designation of cocoa as "food of the Gods."
authors.affiliation: a CEPLAC-Executive Commission for the Cocoa Farming Plan/Cocoa Research Centre , Itabuna , Bahia , Brazil.|b State University of Santa Cruz , Ilhéus , Bahia , Brazil.
authors.forename: Quintino Reis
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: De Araujo
authors.affiliation: b State University of Santa Cruz , Ilhéus , Bahia , Brazil.
authors.forename: James Nascimento
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Gattward
authors.affiliation: c Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almoosawi
authors.affiliation: a CEPLAC-Executive Commission for the Cocoa Farming Plan/Cocoa Research Centre , Itabuna , Bahia , Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria das Graças Conceição Parada Costa
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: b State University of Santa Cruz , Ilhéus , Bahia , Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Alfredo De Santana
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.affiliation: d UniJorge, Luis Viana Anenue/Paralela , Salvador , Bahia , Brazil.
authors.forename: Quintino Reis
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: De Araujo Júnior
mesh_terms: D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry*; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
keywords: Theobroma cocoa L; antioxidant; food; heart; immunology; neurology