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New research suggests that a cup of cocoa may protect you from the negative effects of fatty comfort foods during times of stress.
Experts say the food people choose during times of stress can influence how stress affects heart health.
But this small study found that drinking flavanol-rich cocoa (the main ingredient in chocolate) with a fatty meal can reduce some of the food’s effects on the body.
Flavanols are compounds found in some foods and beverages, such as apples and tea, that are thought to have a variety of benefits, including regulating blood pressure and protecting cardiovascular health.
For those who tend to reach for fat-rich snacks when they’re stressed or just because they’re quick and convenient, adding a cup of minimally processed cocoa or green tea can make a “big difference” to your health. may result in.”
Dr Catalina Lendeiro, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Science at the University of Birmingham and lead author, said:
“We have previously shown that fatty foods can impair the body’s vascular recovery from stress.
“In this study, we wanted to see if adding flavanol-rich foods to a fatty diet could reduce the negative effects of stress in the body.”
In a previous study, Birmingham researchers found that while high-fat foods can have a negative impact on blood vessel function and oxygen delivery to the brain, flavanols, which are abundant in cocoa and green tea, I discovered that this feature can be secured. .
Dr Katarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Science at the University of Birmingham, added: “This study shows that drinking and eating foods high in flavanols can be used as a strategy to reduce the effects of poor food choices on the vascular system.”
“This can help you make more informed decisions about what to eat and drink during stressful times.”
In this study, researchers gave 23 healthy adults a breakfast of two butter croissants with 10 g of salted butter, 1.5 slices of cheddar cheese, 250 ml of whole milk, and either a high-flavanol cocoa or a low-flavanol cocoa drink. gave something.
After an 8-minute break, the groups were asked to speed up for 8 minutes and take a mental arithmetic test that warned them if their answers were incorrect.
At rest and during the test, scientists measured blood flow in the forearm, heart activity, and oxygen in the body.
They found that stress tasks caused significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure, similar to stress you might encounter in everyday life.
Researchers also found that eating fatty foods along with low-flavanol drinks during times of stress reduced vascular function, which persisted for up to 90 minutes after the stressful event was over.
However, a study published in the journal Food And Function found that cocoa drinks, which are high in flavanols, protect against the decline in blood vessel function following stress and fat intake.
Experts say people should look for minimally processed cocoa powder in supermarkets, and if cocoa isn’t their drink of choice, there are other ways to get more flavanols, such as green tea, black tea and berries. He says there is. .
Jett Veldhuizen van Zanten, professor of biological psychology at the University of Birmingham and author of the study, added: Protecting yourself from some of the symptoms of stress is a positive thing.
“If you tend to reach for rewards when you’re stressed, or rely on convenience foods because you have a high-pressure job or don’t have time, how many of these small changes can you make?” Incorporating it can make a huge difference.”
