science proved its potential health benefiting effects. Main compounds of cocoa and chocolate which contribute to human health are polyphenols that act as antioxidants and have potential anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antihepatotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergenic, and anticarcinogenic properties. This paper gives a short overview of scientific literature regarding cocoa polyphenols and influence of cocoa and chocolate on human health. Although research on health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa is quite extensive nowadays and shows potentially beneficial effects of dark chocolate and cocoa, there are still lots of unknowns and some controversies. This is obviously an area that needs more research in order to determine factual influence of chocolate on health. For many years, chocolate was used as a confection, aphrodisiac, and folk medicine before science demonstrated its potential health benefits

Polyphenols, which serve as antioxidants and have possible anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antihepatotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergenic, and anticarcinogenic characteristics, are the main chemicals in cocoa and chocolate that contribute to human health. This study provides a brief overview of the scientific literature on cocoa polyphenols and their impact on human health. Despite the fact that research on the health advantages of dark chocolate and cocoa is rather comprehensive presently and reveals that dark chocolate and cocoa may have potentially beneficial effects, there are still many unknowns and some disagreements. This is clearly an area in which additional research is needed in order to identify the true impact of chocolate on health.