For some people, indulging in a daily chocolate habit could be all it takes for a better-working brain.


A small new study conducted by Harvard researchers shows that drinking two cups of hot chocolate[1] a day for 30 days was linked with improved blood flow to the brain and better scores on memory and thinking skill tests for elderly people with impaired blood flow.


Researchers noted that memory and thinking skills and brain blood flow are linked because of a concept called "neurovascular coupling."


"We're learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills," study researcher Farzaneh A. Sorond, M.D., Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, said in a statement. "As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's."


The study, published in the journal Neurology[2] , included 60 people over age 65, with an average age of 73. Of those people, 18 started the study off with impaired blood flow. Half of the study participants drank antioxidant flavonol-rich hot cocoa (dark chocolate is high in flavonols), while the other half drank hot cocoa with low levels of flavonols.


Researchers found that after the month-long study -- during which participants were not permitted to eat any other kinds of chocolate -- the ones who had the impaired blood flow experienced an improvement in blood flow by 8.3 percent. And both the flavonol-rich and flavonol-poor hot cocoas seemed to have this effect.


"From a clinical aspect, this study suggests that vascular effects of cocoa may not be due to its flavanol content," wrote Paul Rosenberg, M.D., and Can Ozan Tan, Ph.D., in a related editorial. "There has been considerable interest in the development of polyphenols including flavanols as vascular interventions for neurodegenerative disease either as single chemical entities (such as epicatechin and resveratrol) or as components of nutriceuticals such as cocoa, but the results of this pilot trial argue against this hypothesis."


Of course, chocolate isn't the only food that could give your brain a boost. Click through the slideshow for some other foods that could do your noggin' good:




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  • Walnuts


    Walnuts are chock-full of heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and are the only good nut source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/29/healthy-food-healthiest-list_n_1636409.html#slide=1162293">HuffPost Healthy Living earlier reported</a>. That means they help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain.

    And <a href="Diseasehttp://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=730">research presented at the 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's</a> found that mice with the disease who were regularly fed walnuts had improved memory, learning and motor skill coordination, <a href="http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/758-best-foods-brain-health.html">according to MyHealthNewsDaily</a>.




  • Olive Oil


    Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to <a href="http://www.boston.com/dailydose/2012/05/18/tweaking-dietary-fat-intake-could-help-slow-brain-aging-study-suggests/OO7tmvxhB2E8V0algT7DlL/story.html">actually <em>slow</em> brain aging</a>.




  • Berries


    Animal studies have long indicated a link between berry consumption and brain health. But a recent study published in the <em>Annals of Neurology</em> found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/26/brain-food-berries-can-slow-cognitive-decline/">slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus</a> in a large sample of middle-aged women, reported <em>TIME</em>'s Alice Park.




  • Sardines


    Fatty fish like sardines (<a href="http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate">and salmon!</a>) are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which <a href="http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/omega-3/index.html">have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory</a>.




  • Coffee


    Caffeine, the mild stimulant found in coffee, improves mental acuity, though the drink's enthusiasts -- <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/best/caffeinebrain.shtml">who guzzle 120,000 tons of the stuff each year</a> -- likely already know that.

    Aside from caffeine's brain boosting effects, coffee's antioxidant richness helps maintain brain health. And some research suggests that drinking coffee can actually <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/coffee-cuts-depression-women_n_982122.html">stave off depression in women</a>.




  • Spinach


    Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, <a href="http://www.nutraconference.com/networknow/public/SessionDetails.aspx?SessionID=1004689&FromPage=nz_ALSessionSearch.aspx">according to researchers from Tufts University</a>. And <a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain?page=11">a longitudinal study at Harvard Medical School</a> found that women who reported eating the most leafy green and cruciferous vegetables had a markedly lower rate of cognitive decline, compared to those who ate the least.




  • Dark Chocolate


    Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate is healthy for your whole body, but its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/brain-health-foods_n_1593650.html#slide=1087860">caffeine content is thought to play a role</a> in maintaining mental acuity. What's more, chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that helps to improve blood flow (and thus brain health) by regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.




  • Avocados


    Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that <a href="http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate">improve vascular health and blood flow</a>, making them another brain food.




  • Water


    When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20336685">dehydration can affect cognitive function</a>.

    Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making, <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201010/why-your-brain-needs-water">according to <em>Psychology Today</em></a>.




  • Wheat Germ


    Wheat germ is a rich vegetarian source of choline -- a nutrient that is involved in the body's production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that boosts memory, <a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain" target="_hplink">according to <em>Shape</em></a>.

    Eggs are another good choline source.




  • Beets


    Beets are a good source of naturally-occurring nitrates, which help improve blood flow to the brain, <a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain">according to <em>Shape</em></a>.




  • Garlic


    Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in <em>Cancer</em>, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that <a href="organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have been identified as effective against glioblastoma">the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill glioblastoma cells</a> -- a type of malignant tumor cell.