Health
Key component of dark chocolate might have an anti-ageing effect
A chemical that is mainly found in dark chocolate seems to slow our rate of biological ageing, but it isn't clear if eating chocolate is good for us overall
By Michael Le Page
1 May 2025
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Dark chocolate is a particularly rich source of the chemical theobromineStudio-N/Shutterstock
Chocolate may contain a chemical with anti-ageing properties – but don’t start stuffing your face just yet. The chemical is found mainly in dark chocolate and it remains to be seen whether eating chocolate is good for you overall.
“There’s lots of things in dark chocolate, and there are pros and cons to everything,” says Ramy Saad at University College London.
Read moreThe shocking discovery that our gut microbiome drives ageing
The chemical in question, theobromine, is probably best known for being deadly to dogs. But it has…
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