Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, unveils the results of a new study into the anti-aging properties of its range of ACTICOA® products. According to the study presented at FIE, the daily consumption of an ACTICOA drink rich in cocoa flavanols has been shown to have a positive effect on the hydration of the skin, an important factor in maintaining a healthy, vital-looking skin.

Hans Vriens, chief innovation officer at Barry Callebaut says: “This study is part of the mounting evidence in support of the beneficial effects of cocoa flavanols on human health. Barry Callebaut’s ACTICOA cocoa and chocolate are one of the richest known sources of cocoa flavanols, powerful antioxidants which are rapidly changing the way we view chocolate. The growing body of research, of which this study is just a part, is helping to make chocolate more permissible by actively showing how it can be a constructive part of a balanced, daily diet.”

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised in vivo study involved the daily consumption of an ACTICOA drink for six weeks by one group of 15 healthy adults with an average age of 50 years. The other group of 15 subjects was given a placebo drink with the same dose of cocoa powder made by conventional production methods. The ACTICOA drink was prepared with ACTICOA cocoa powder, a powerful source of natural cocoa flavanols. After six weeks the ACTICOA group displayed considerably improved skin hydration – on average by 21% – while no significant change was observed in the volunteers from the placebo group.

Leen Allegaert, clinical researcher at Barry Callebaut says: “Well hydrated skin is an important factor in maintaining the general appearance of soft, smooth skin. Keeping your skin hydrated is particularly important for those with dry or maturing skin. Skin that is well hydrated offers better protection against external influences while retaining a healthy, glowing appearance. Drinking 200ml ACTICOA beverage a day for at least six weeks is a great way to keep the skin hydrated, wherever you are when consumed as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.”

According to the study, these striking results are most likely due to the very high concentration of natural cocoa flavanols contained in ACTICOA cocoa and chocolate. As such, this recent study lends further evidence to the role played by these powerful antioxidants in neutralising the harmful effects of free radicals and countering the visible signs of aging.

Barry Callebaut’s unique ACTICOA process is the outcome of years of research into ways of preserving cocoa flavanols in cocoa powder and chocolate. Scientifically proven to be powerful antioxidants in existence with wide-ranging benefits for human health, cocoa flavanols are nonetheless mostly destroyed during the conventional production process. Only Barry Callebaut’s ACTICOA process guarantees a minimum maintained concentration of cocoa flavanols in the finished product. ACTICOA cocoa and chocolate therefore offer the very best in natural protection, helping to restore the balance between antioxidants and free radicals in the body.