I’m A Nutritional Psychiatrist & This Is My Favorite Breakfast For Brain Health

Of course, it matters what type of chocolate you’re digging into. For brain health, organic raw cacao reigns supreme: Not only does it contain polyphenols (a powerful class of antioxidants) to help neutralize free radicals and fight oxidative stress, but the cacao beans are also fermented before they’re dried, roasted, and removed from their shells (that’s what gives raw dark chocolate its slightly sour taste). As you may know, fermented foods have noteworthy benefits for gut health, which simultaneously supports brain health as well, thanks to the famed gut-brain axis.

Says Ramsey, “Those flavanols [in cacao] increase blood flow to the brain. They get involved with the microbiome… They are involved with short-term memory and in the areas where neurogenesis (new brain cell growth) happens in the brain.” A systematic review supports all of these claims, with studies showing how epicatechin (the most abundant flavonoid in chocolate) can benefit cerebral blood flow, promote neuronal survival, and improve mitochondrial function. 

As for why you should eat chocolate in the morning? Well, the timing doesn’t exactly make or break the health benefits (so feel free to reach for cacao at lunchtime, as a snack, etc.); Ramsey just emphasizes the benefits of incorporating chocolate into your everyday meals, rather than regarding it as a one-off treat.