Eating chocolate protects your cardiovascular system. At Sant’Anna School shop the “Toscolata” nutraceutical chocolate comes in a new box
The “Toscolata” nutraceutical chocolate represents a rich source of dietary flavonoids. Eating dark chocolate is beneficial to the cardiovascular system and researchers from the National Research Council (IVALSA - Istituto per la valorizzazione del legno e delle specie arboree del Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche) (Ivalsa-Cnr), the University of Pisa (Dipartimento di Patologia Chirurgica, Medica, Molecolare e dell’Area Critica), the Institute of Life Sciences at Sant’Anna School, and the University of Siena (Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita), who carried out the trial on participants, found that chocolate consumption on a daily basis could lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The “Toscolata” research project, funded by Tuscany Region authority, was conducted by Claudio Cantini, Ivalsa-Cnr; Rossella di Stefano, University of Pisa - Dipartimento di Patologia Chirurgica, Medica, Molecolare e dell’Area Critica; Luca Sebastiani, Sant’Anna School Institute of Life Sciences; Marco Romi, University of Siena - Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita. Dark chocolate from South America cocoa enriched with extra virgin olive oil or apples (from Casentino area) exerts its protective effect through plant polyphenols found in cocoa, olive oil, and fruits. The randomised crossover study included volunteers (men and women) with cardiovascular risk factors who received dark chocolate daily for 28 days. The research to assess the novel functional chocolate and its impact on the organoleptic characteristics of end products also provided sensory evaluation such as smoothness, melt rate, and cocoa flavor. Sensory evaluation revealed that Toscolata chocolate was fully accepted as conventional chocolate.
The ‘Toscolata’ chocolate now comes in a new box (individual 40 grams chocolate bar) at the Sant’Anna School Shop and at Vestri (Toscolata chocolate manufacturer) Shop in Arezzo.
The ‘Sant’Anna Shop’ (address: piazza Martiri della Libertà 33 – Pisa) offers a wide range of official merchandise and gifts, is open 11.00 am - 3.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
