A team of researchers from King’s College London (KCL) have revealed the research we’ve been waiting for: dark chocolate contains a compound that could slow down biological ageing.

The compound, theobromine, is an alkaloid produced in significant quantities by the beans of the theobroma cacao tree.

The researchers found that people with more theobromine in their blood tended to also have signs of slower biological ageing, as measured by two key biomarkers. That being said, the researchers emphasised theobromine works best as part of a balanced diet.

Speaking with Science Alert epigenomics researcher Jordana Bell said the study found links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer.

“While we’re not saying that people should eat more dark chocolate, this research can help us understand how everyday foods may hold clues to healthier, longer lives,” she said.

As part of the study the researchers analysed the blood samples of 1669 people collected through two different registries and analysed concentrations of breakdown products for compounds like theobromine and caffeine. The researchers also measured two ageing factors that were based on DNA methylation – chemical tags that change as we age. One was general tagging patterns, and the other serve as an indication of telomeres, which are the length of chromosomal ends.

It’s not the first time theobromine has been linked to health benefits, but detailed data on its effect on humans is lacking.

KCL clinical geneticist Ramy Saad said this was an exciting finding.

“… the next important questions are what is behind this association and how can we explore the interactions between dietary metabolites and our epigenome further,” Ramy said.

KCL molecular biologist Ricardo Costeira said although more research was needed, the findings were of value.

“The findings from this study highlight the value of population-level analyses in ageing and genetics,”  he said.