Eating chocolate has been linked to better brain performance in a new study that measured dietary intake and heart risk factors.  The findings show that regularly eating the sweet treat was linked to cognitive function unrelated to the participants' other eating habits.

The study was published in the journal Appetite. It was based on data from a Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS) that included 968 people between the ages of 23 and 98, according to The Independent.

In the dietary part of the study volunteers answered various questions about how often they ate certain foods and drank certain beverages, ranging from never to more than once every day. Foods on the list included fruits, vegetables, rice and pasta, meat, and chocolate.

The more often people ate chocolate the better they performed on cognitive tests. That included ones that evaluated visual-spatial memory, working memory, and abstract reasoning.

The Mini-Mental State Examination was also included in the group of tests. It measured people's mental status, with high scores showing better performance, according to Medical Daily.

Chocolates also showed improvements in brain function when certain cardiovascular risk factors were included. They included high blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and total and bad cholesterol.

The improved brain function is linked to the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate. They are a type of flavonoid (class of plant/fungus substance made during metabolism).      

High levels of flavanols are contained in dark chocolate, tea, wine, and fruits including apples and grapes. Milk and white chocolate have lower levels.

The researchers reported that this was the first study that linked long-term chocolate eating to improved brain function. Past studies showed the benefits of cocoa flavanols on heart health rather than how it affects human cognition.

Researchers also reported that the findings support past clinical trials. They showed that regular cocoa intake could improve cognitive function and might protect against age-related mental decline.   

The scientists suggest that longer-term clinical trials be done in the future. They could reveal more about the link between chocolate, cocoa flavanols, and brain functioning.  They also want to learn how the amount of chocolate eaten affects thinking processes.

Here are some health benefits of dark chocolate: