According to new research the increased intake of flavanols, which are naturally occurring compounds that happen in a number of fruits and vegetables, could actually aid in safeguarding people from certain cardiovascular events like heart disease, stroke, and thrombosis.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, found that people’s blood vessels actually functioned better in times of mental stress when they were given a cocoa drink that had high levels of flavanols rather than those drinking non-flavanol enriched drinks.
The heart and blood vessels have a very thin membrane of cells lining them. And when they work efficiently and accurately, the endothelium aids in lessening the risks of stroke, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, kidney failure, thrombosis, tumor growth, and serious infectious viral diseases. Meanwhile, mental stress is commonly known to have major negative effects on a person’s blood vessel function.
Publishing their findings in the journal Nutrients, the University of Birmingham UK research team took a look at the effects of cocoa flavanols ‘on stress-induced changes on vascular function.’
Lead author of the study, Dr. Catarina Rendeiro from the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences shares, “We found that drinking flavanol-rich cocoa can be an effective dietary strategy to reduce temporary impairments in endothelial function following mental stress and also improve blood flow during stressful episodes.”
She adds, “Flavanols are extremely common in a wide range of fruit and vegetables. By utilizing the known cardiovascular benefits of these compounds during periods of acute vascular vulnerability (such as stress) we can offer improved guidance to people about how to make the most of their dietary choices during stressful periods.”
Postgraduate student, Rosalind Baynham, conducted a randomized study of a group of men that were considered “healthy” and had them drink high-flavanol cocoa beverages at least 90 minutes before asked to complete an eight-minute mental stress task.
The team measured the blood flow in the forearm and cardiovascular activity at rest, as well as during stress, and ‘assessed functioning of the blood vessels up to 90 minute post stress.’ What they discovered was that their blood vessel function was less impaired for those participants that drank the high-flavanol cocoa. The research team also found that flavanols helped improve blood flow during these stressful situations.
In today’s society, stress has become incredibly prevalent, while being linked to physical and psychological health. In fact, mental stress can activate the immediate increase in both blood pressure and heart rates in healthy adults, which could also result in ‘temporary impairments in the function of arteries even after the episode of stress has ceased.’
During single episodes of stress, the results have shown an increase in the risk of acute cardiovascular events, while the consequences of stress on the blood vessels indicate that they too, contribute to these stress-induced cardiovascular issues.
Meanwhile, research done previously by the co-investigator of this new study, Dr. Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten, shows that those at higher risk of cardiovascular disease also have weak or inadequate responses to intense stress.
Dr. Rendeiro explains, “Our findings are significant for everyday diet, given that the daily dosage administered could be achieved by consuming a variety of foods rich in flavanols – particularly apples, black grapes, blackberries, cherries, raspberries, pears, pulses, green tea, and unprocessed cocoa. This has important implications for measures to protect the blood vessels of those individuals who are more vulnerable to the effects of mental stress.”
So if you want to work towards having better cardiovascular response in stressful situations, adding flavanols to your diet is a step in the right direction. Why not look for some awesome cocoa powder or berries to add to your diet? It couldn’t hurt, right?
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