Called Esthechoc and developed by Cambridge-based company research and development company Lycotec, it has been years in development and is being billed as the world’s first beauty chocolate, although this claim is disputable as other beauty chocolate products have filled a similar space, including the now discontinued Dove Vitalize bar.
It’s all about the flavanol and astaxanthin content
What does make the beauty claims stand out is the fact that the antioxidants include pleotropic anti-ageing properties from cocoa flavanols and marine carotenoid astaxanthin, and that these properties have been qualified by clinical data.
It is thanks to the inclusion of these antioxidants that a 7.5g piece of Estechoc is said to provide the same amount of flavanol as found in a 100g bar of dark chocolate and the same amount of astaxanthin that might be expected in 300g of wild Alaskan salmon.
The clinical trials that have served as the basis for the beauty and anti-aging claims were conducted on a group of 50 – 60 year old volunteers who were assessed over a 3 – 4 week period during which they consumed the chocolate on a daily basis.
Clinical trials showed improved skin health
According to the development team, which is headed up by Dr Ivan Petyaev, the clinical trial showed that the volunteers had been able to suppress markers of sub-clinical inflammatory damage in their blood, and also reversed their age-related depression of microcirculation and blood supply to both fat and skin tissue.
Ultimately this led to improvement in the respiration of the tissues and ultimately its restoration, which the developers note is an essential element in controlling and supporting skin health.
Dr. Peyaev says that it has taken a number of years to convert the research on the chocolate, which originated at Cambridge University, into the functional chocolate portfolio, which is being produced and marketed under a spin-off company from Lycotec called Cambridge Chocolate Technologies that resulted from a licensing deal with investment company Adiuvo.
Buy it at the beauty store…
Although it is a chocolate bar in every sense, what is interesting is the fact that it is being marketed heavily on its beauty properties, while the company also underline that it is health, beauty and cosmetics retailers that are expected to be stocking it.
According to the team, the launch of the chocolate has already attracted the attention of retailers worldwide, but for the moment the product line will be carried by a prestigious UK retailer starting next month, and is then expected to be expanded into other countries in Europe.