Cocoa, including its often discarded shell, has promising potential in providing benefits to human health due to its high content of health-boosting phytochemicals.
Cocoa, extracted from the seeds of Theobroma cacao L., contains a wide range of phytochemicals, with polyphenols being the most predominant. These compounds contribute to a variety of beneficial biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, among others. Furthermore, the cocoa bean shell, usually seen as a by-product, has started to attract attention for its own significant phytochemical content, emphasizing the potential health benefits it could also provide. The review gathered and examined existing literature investigating these health benefits.
While the benefits of cocoa have been explored in relation to various health conditions like heart diseases and nervous system disorders, the focus of the review was to assess the role of cocoa and its potential therapeutic capacity in the context of cancer. Without revealing specifics, the review not only outlined the potential health benefits that cocoa and its shells can offer, but also delved into the potential mechanisms that enable such benefits, thus presenting a holistic view on the topic.
