The latest superfood has been revealed - and it’s chocolate!

Cocoa boffins from Cambridge claim to have made a scientific breakthrough that could transform chocolate into an anti-ageing wonder drug.

Biotechnology specialist Lycotech has come up with a technology it says increases the body’s absorption of cocoa flavanols - molecules contained in chocolate that improve skin oxygenation, an essential factor in slowing the ageing process.

By modifying chocolate with an ingredient it has developed called Coco-Lycosome, Lycotech said it could boost the power of cocoa flavanols by up to 20 times compared with unmodified chocolate. According to Lycotech, that means a small chunk of modified chocolate has the same anti-ageing benefits as two bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk.

“Two bars a day may be good news for chocoholics but not everybody loves chocolate that much,” said Lycotech founder Dr Ivan Petyaev. “But now everyone can benefit from the intrinsic values of cocoa flavanols without compromising their health and habits.”

Petyaev added that the technology had no impact on the taste or texture of chocolate and that the ingredient was safe and accepted by the food industry and “ready for the market”.

But nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton PhD said she wanted to see more evidence. “They are definitely on the right track,” said Dr Ruxton. “Flavanols are clunky molecules and there have been problems with absorption so it sounds interesting. But before I get excited I want some concrete end points that the consumer would experience.

“And you always have to balance the benefits with any detrimental effects. If you are looking at increased consumption of chocolate you will see an increase in calories and saturated fat.”

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