The Study
Acute effects of cocoa flavanols on visual working memory: maintenance and updating
This study is like a fair test where kids were given either chocolate drink or plain water without knowing which, then asked to remember pictures. The results showed both groups remembered just as well — so the chocolate drink didn’t help their memory this time.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave people a special cocoa drink and tested if it helped them remember shapes better, right after drinking it.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 551 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1No, the result isn't significant for daily life — drinking this amount of cocoa flavanols won't help you remember things better in the short term.
- 2They gave 415 mg of cocoa flavanols to 80 people.
- 3Memory accuracy and reaction time didn't improve after drinking it.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Nutrition
Year
2022
Authors
Ahmet Altınok, Aytaç Karabay, Elkan G. Akyürek
Related Content
Claims (3)
Eating a one-time dose of cocoa with 415 mg of flavanols won’t make you better or worse at remembering visual details like shapes or colors, whether you’re just holding them in mind or actively updating them.
Eating a one-time dose of cocoa with 415 mg of flavanols won’t make you better at remembering things you just saw, no matter how much cocoa you usually eat, your weight, or whether you’re male or female.
Eating cocoa with flavanols might boost blood flow to a part of your brain that helps you form memories, like when you're trying to remember names or facts.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.