It looks like we’ll all be tucking in to lots of chocolate over the Easter weekend – Easter egg sales have rocketed this year by 50 per cent.
After the year we’ve had, we certainly deserve a treat – and what’s more indulgent than chocolate?
But did you know that dark chocolate particularly could be good for our hearing?
No, really.
So what’s going on? What’s the link between hearing and chocolate?
Hearing and chocolate
Well dark chocolate – at least 70% cocoa – is rich in zinc, which can help to maintain healthy inner ear function. Chocolate also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may provide some protection to the cochlea.
And several studies have shown the relationship between vascular risk and hearing loss: cocoa, a major ingredient of chocolate, can reduce blood pressure.
A 2019 study in South Korea even found that the rate of any hearing loss was significantly lower in the research subjects who consumed chocolate.
Of course, looking after your hearing involves more than just eating chocolate. We’ve got some great resources on our website to help.
But it’s another reason to tuck in to some beautiful dark chocolate this Easter!
31 March 2021