FLAVANOLS PROTECT THE VASCULATURE SYSTEM DURING STRESSFUL PERIODS

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FLAVANOLS PROTECT THE VASCULATURE SYSTEM DURING STRESSFUL PERIODS




New research has found that a flavanol-rich cocoa drink can protect the body's vasculature against stress even after eating high-fat food.

Food choices made during periods of stress can influence the effect of stress on cardiovascular health. For example, recent research from the University of Birmingham found that high-fat foods can negatively affect vascular function and oxygen delivery to the brain. Meanwhile, abundant compounds in cocoa and green tea can protect vascular function during stress.

Now, in a new study, the same research team has found that drinking cocoa high in flavanols in combination with a fatty meal can counteract some of the impacts of impact foods and protect the vascular system from stress.

The research was published today in the journal.

Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, and author of the study, knows that when people are stressed, they tend to gravitate towards high-fat foods. We have previously shown that fatty food can impair the body's vascular recovery from stress. In this study, we wanted to see if adding a high-flavanol food to a fatty meal would alleviate the negative impact of stress on the body.

Rosalind Baynham, the paper's first author, explained that flavanols are chemicals found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and nuts, including berries and unprocessed cocoa. Flavanols are known to have health benefits, particularly for regulating blood pressure and protecting cardiovascular health.

"We took a group of young,  healthy adults and gave them two butter croissants with 10 g salted butter, 1.5 slices of cheddar cheese and 250 ml whole milk as breakfast, and either a high-flavanol cocoa or a low-flavanol cocoa drink. Following a rest period, we asked the participants to complete a mental maths test which increased in speed for eight minutes, alerting them when they got an answer wrong. During the 8 minute rest period and 8 minute mental maths test, we measured forearm blood flow, cardiovascular activity and prefrontalortex (PFC) tissue oxygenation. We also measured vascular function using Brachial Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), which is a prognostic measure for future risk of cardiovascular disease. This stress task induced significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure, similar to the stress you may encounter in daily life."

The cocoa beverages were prepared by dissolving 12 g of cocoa powder into 250 ml of whole milk. The low-flavanol powder was an alkalized cocoa powder thatched to reduce total flavanols to 5.6 mg per serving, and the high-flavanol cocoa powder was non-alkalized, delivering 695.0 mg total flavanols per serving. Alkalization is used to enhance flavor, but unfortunately, it reduces the number of flavanols.

The team confirmed that consuming fatty foods with the low-flavanol drink when mentally stressed reduced vascular function (by 1.29% FMD). It lasted up to 90 minutes after the stressful event was over. Findings also showed that the cocoa drink high in flavanols effectively prevented the decline in vascular function following stress and fat consumption. Brachial flow-mediated dilatation was significantly higher following high-flavanol cocoa than ethanol cocoa 30 and 90 minutes after the stressful period. The team had also found in their previous work that eating high-fat foods attenuated cerebral oxygenation during stress in the prefrontal cortex. However, cocoa flavanols did not improve cerebral oxygenation or impact mood.

Dr Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Birmingham, added: "This research shows that drinking or eating a food high 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 periods."

In the supermarket, look for minimally processed cocoa powder. If cocoa isn't quite your beverage of choice, there are other ways to get your dose novels, such as green tea, black tea, and berries. Recent guidelines for flavanol intake recommend between 400 and 600 mg/day, which can be achieved, for example, by drinking two cups of black or green tea or a combination of berries, apples, and high-quality cocoa.

Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Professor of Biological Psychology at the University of Birmingham and author of this paper, added: "Modern life is stressful, and the impact of stress on our health and the economy has been well documented, so any changes we can make to protect ourselves from some of the symptoms of stress is positive e. Incorporating some of these small changes could make a real difference for those who tend to reach for a treat when stressed or depend on convenient food because they work high-pressure jobs or are time-poor."



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