Rebecca Wright08.03.07
Mars, Incorporated, McLean, VA, has launched a botanical division. Called Mars Botanical, the new scientific division will focus on research and product development involving flavanolsnaturally occurring plant compounds or phytonutrients found in cocoa, wine, tea, nuts and certain fruits and vegetables. Headquartered in Rockville, MD, Mars Botanical will continue to build on the scientific heritage of Mars, Incorporateda global leader in cocoa flavanol research. Mars botanical will apply the analytical techniques and standards pioneered by Mars, Incorporated to fully investigate the biomedical potential of cocoa flavanols.
For more than 15 years, scientists at Mars, Incorporated have worked with many of the leading research institutions from around the world to help unlock the nutritional and medicinal properties of cocoa. The result has been more than 100 studies that suggest consuming cocoa flavanols may provide a range of vascular benefits, from improving blood vessel function and reducing the tendency of blood clots, to lowering high blood pressure. According to Mars, all of these benefits may hold tremendous potential for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
Additional studies indicate that cocoa flavanols may enhance brain blood flow, which may help improve cognitive function and peripheral blood flow by increasing the bodys nitric oxide levels and relaxing blood vessels. Affecting peripheral blood flow is particularly important for those with prediabetes or diabetes.