Study ties dark chocolate compound to slower aging

Researchers at King’s College London report in the peer‑reviewed journal Aging that higher blood levels of theobromine — a compound found in dark chocolate and cocoa — are associated with slower biological aging in nearly 1,700 adults across the UK and Germany. The observational study linked theobromine to younger biological age estimates using DNA‑based epigenetic clocks and telomere length, while cautioning it does not prove causation and that dark chocolate contains sugar and fat.