Studies have shown that phenols in cocoa shells help reverse chronic inflammation associated with obesity

Recently, a recent study from the University of Illinois showed that phenols in cocoa bean shells have a strong effect on fat and immune cells of mice, which may help to reverse chronic inflammation and insulin resistance related to obesity It can not only play the role of nutrition and health care, but also solve the 700000 tons of soybean shell waste produced every year due to chocolate processing to a certain extent, providing a feasible and innovative solution for resource utilization The researchers found that there are three kinds of special bioactive substances in the shell of cocoa beans, namely protocatechuic acid, epicatechin and Procyanidin B2 These compounds also exist in cocoa, coffee and green tea De Mejia, the researcher and director of nutrition science, said the aim of the study was to test whether the bioactive compounds in cocoa shells were effective for macrophage inflammatory cells as biomarkers to eliminate or reduce inflammation When fat cells are treated with a phenolic compound or a water extract containing all the compounds, the damaged mitochondria are repaired in white fat cells (fat cells) In addition, less fat accumulated in adipocytes means that inflammation is blocked and insulin sensitivity of cells is restored Too much fat accumulated by adipocytes can promote the proliferation of macrophages, lead to the release of toxins, thus stimulating adipose tissue Eventually, chronic inflammation prevents the cells from absorbing glucose, leading to insulin resistance and potentially type 2 diabetes