Certain bitter foods may trigger a brain response similar to working out, study finds

The dry, puckering sensation you get from dark chocolate, red wine, tea or berries could actually be activating your brain in a way similar to exercise, according to a new study.

New research from Japan suggests that flavanols — plant compounds found in these foods — may stimulate the brain not by being absorbed into the bloodstream, but by triggering a sensory response tied to their bitter taste.

"The key finding of this experiment is that it first demonstrated how flavanol intake stimulation ...