Information about cacao, history, production, and health effects. Includes bibliography and links to related material. Provided by the Exporatorium, a science museum in San Francisco.
Article outlines the health effects of flavanols contained in cocoa beans, and how the Mars chocolate company is trying to incorporate their benefits in a new brand of chocolate bars. (August 20, 2005)
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that dark chocolate, rich in anti-oxidant compounds known as flavonoids, reduced blood pressure in people with hypertension. (July 19, 2005)
A study by researchers at Osaka University in Japan found that parts of the cocoa bean thwart mouth bacteria and tooth decay. Reported by BBC News. (August 24, 2000)