Experts discover which hot drink to drink along with junk food to reduce the toll on your heart
Washing down cheeseburgers and chips with hot chocolate can make the meal better for your heart and keep you from feeling exhausted, scientists said today.
It has now been found that the powerful compounds lurking in chocolate – especially in dark varieties – promote cardiovascular health even after eating high-fat foods.
Flavanols, as they are called, are also abundant in apples, berries and green tea.
British researchers, who followed 20 young adults, found that the benefits came from consuming 695 mg of flavanols in cocoa powder – roughly equivalent to six squares of high-quality dark chocolate.
It also prevented a temporary decline in blood vessel function, compared to low flavanol drink options.
Experts said people who are likely to reach for a high-fat treat when they’re stressed, or because it’s convenient, can “make a real difference” to their health by adding a cup of minimally processed cocoa or green tea.
Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Birmingham, and lead author of the study, said: ‘We know that when people are stressed they tend to gravitate towards high-fat foods.
‘We have previously shown that fatty foods can hinder the body’s vascular recovery after stress.
It has now been found that the powerful compounds lurking in chocolate – especially dark varieties – improve cardiovascular health even after eating high-fat foods
It also prevented a temporary decline in blood vessel function, compared to low flavanol drink options
‘In this study we wanted to see whether adding foods high in flavanol to the fatty meal would alleviate the negative impact of stress in the body.’
Meanwhile, Professor Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten, an expert in biological psychology who co-authored the study from the University of Birmingham, added: ‘Modern life is stressful and the impact of stress on our health and the economy is well documented.
‘So any change we can make to protect ourselves from certain symptoms of stress is positive.
‘For those who tend to reach for treats when they’re stressed or rely on convenient foods because they’re working under high pressure or short on time, incorporating some of these small changes can make a real difference.’
The research, published in the journal Food & FunctionThe study involved 23 adults with a healthy BMI, who were on average 22 years old.
Most exceeded daily fat and sugar diet recommendations, while no volunteers met recommended daily fiber intake.
But they did consume about 240 mg of flavonoids per day – the average intake of adults.
The participants all received two butter croissants for breakfast with 10 grams of salted butter, one and a half slices of cheddar cheese and 250 ml of whole milk.
While some warning signs are easy to spot, such as severe chest pain, others are vaguer and harder to pinpoint
Half were then offered a low flavanol cocoa drink with approximately 5.6 mg of flavanols, while the others were given a high flavanol cocoa drink with 695 mg.
After an eight-minute rest period, all volunteers were asked to complete an eight-minute mental math test, which accelerated if they answered a question incorrectly.
During the 16 minutes, scientists measured blood flow in the forearm of all participants, heart activity and oxygen levels in the prefrontal cortex – a brain region that plays a key role in decision-making, planning and attention.
They found that the task ‘significantly’ increased heart rate and blood pressure – similar to the stress you encounter in everyday life.
The scientists also found that those given the low flavanol drink had reduced blood vessel function that lasted for up to 90 minutes.
By comparison: among consumers of cocoa with a high flavanol content, this was only half an hour.
Dr. Rendeiro added: ‘This research shows that drinking or eating foods rich in flavanols can be used as a strategy to mitigate some of the impact of poorer food choices on the vascular system.
‘This can help us make more informed decisions about what we eat and drink during stressful times.’
NHS data shows that the number of younger adults suffering a heart attack has increased over the past decade. The largest increase (95 percent) was recorded in the 25-29 age group, although because the number of patients is low, even small peaks can look dramatic
Experts recommended looking for minimally processed cocoa powder in grocery stores if you’re mixing yourself a festive drink this holiday season.
If hot chocolate isn’t your drink of choice, there are other ways you can get a higher dose of flavanols, such as green tea, black tea, and berries.
It comes as alarming data revealed earlier this year that premature deaths from cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, had reached the highest level in more than a decade.
MailOnline has previously highlighted how the number of young people under 40 in England being treated for heart attacks by the NHS is increasing.
Rates of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes among those under 75 had fallen since the 1960s thanks to plummeting smoking rates, advanced surgical techniques and breakthroughs such as stents and statins.
But rising obesity rates and the associated catalog of associated health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes are now thought to be one of the main contributing factors.
