title: Cocoa Polyphenols: Chemistry, Bioavailability and Effects on Cardiovascular Performance.
abstract: This review gives an overview of the phenolic compounds composition of cocoa beans and their modification during manufacturing processes to the final products. Recently published papers dealing with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the different classes of cocoa phenolic compounds will be discussed. Modifications of the qualitative profile and amount of phenolic compounds in cocoa after the main processes of production chain, fermentation, drying, roasting, and alkalization, will be described. The second part will focus on some of the biological effects described for cocoa phenolic compounds in vitro and in vivo. In particular, the effects of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular health and endothelial function have been extensively investigated over the last decades, with interesting results from nutritional intervention trials and molecular studies. A few recent updates on the role of cocoa and chocolate consumption on sport performances will be reported.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dugo
authors.affiliation: Unit of Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giusy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tripodo
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Universita della Tuscia, via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fanali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001682:Biological Availability; D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D044948:Flavonols / Q000494:pharmacology; D005511:Food Handling; D055951:Functional Food; D006801:Humans; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D044948:Flavonols; D059808:Polyphenols
keywords: Polyphenols; blood pressure; cardiovascular diseases; cocoa beans; flavanols; nitric oxide; processing.