Drinking Cocoa Protects Your Heart During Mental Stress

Health News: A new study from the University of Birmingham showed that a high intake of flavanols may protect your heart from stroke and other cardiovascular diseases induced by mental stress.

Flavanols are a group of molecules – occurring naturally in fruits (like apples, black blackberries, grapes, cherries), vegetables, red wine, unprocessed cocoa, and green tea – and are known to have impressive health benefits.

During the randomized study, a group of healthy men drank a high-flavanol cocoa beverage ninety minutes before completing an eight-minute mental stress task. The study team noted the forearm blood flow and cardiovascular activity during stress and at rest. They also assessed the function of the blood vessels up to 90 minutes post-stress. Results showed less impairment in the blood vessels when study participants consumed high flavanol cocoa beverage than when drinking a non-flavanol enriched drink.

The UK research team concludes that drinking flavanol-rich cocoa can help blood vessels function better and minimize temporary impairments in endothelial function following mental stress.

This seems to be an effective dietary strategy as mental stress is inevitable in this busy, digital life. At times like coronavirus pandemic, stress is skyrocketed, increasing the risk of acute cardiovascular events. The study has important implications for people prone to the effects of mental stress.

To Know More, You May Refer To:

University of Birmingham. (2021, March 31). Can drinking cocoa protect your heart when you’re stressed?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 8, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210331114734.htm