Flavanols are a type of natural antioxidant found in plants — especially in cacao beans, tea leaves, apples, and grapes. In chocolate, flavanols are the compounds linked to all the health buzz: they’re credited with improving blood flow, supporting heart health, and fighting free radicals.
The highest flavanol levels are found in minimally processed cacao (like dark chocolate with a high cocoa content), because flavanols can break down when exposed to heat and heavy processing.
In short: flavanols are one of the reasons dark chocolate gets called a “health food” — and why the darker and less processed the chocolate, the more potential benefits you’re getting.
(Learn more about chocolate’s science and superpowers in The Chocolate Lab.)