Foods rich in flavonoids can protect the body’s vascular system from stress after eating fatty foods.
A study at the University of Birmingham found that high-fat foods can negatively impact vascular function and oxygen delivery to the brain.
However, scientists have found that combining cocoa or green tea, which contain high levels of flavonoids, with a fatty meal may offset some of the damage from fat and help protect the vascular system from stress.
To conduct the experiment, the researchers took a group of healthy people and gave them two buttered croissants, 10g of salted butter, 1.5 slices of cheddar cheese and 250ml of whole milk for breakfast, as well as high or low flavonoid cocoa. After a break, participants were asked to complete an oral arithmetic test and were told when they made mistakes. During rest and testing, participants had forearm blood flow, cardiovascular activity, prefrontal cortex tissue oxygenation measured, and vascular function assessed. The analyzes showed that the task was stressful and caused a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which is similar to stressful situations that a person faces in everyday life.
The results showed that consuming a fatty meal with a drink containing low amounts of flavonoids during mental stress reduced vascular function, and this effect persisted up to 90 minutes after stress. At the same time, high-flavonoid cocoa was effective in preventing the deterioration of vascular function after stress and fat consumption.
The researchers noted that not only cocoa contains many flavonoids. Scientists recommend including drinks such as green and black teas, as well as berries, in your diet.