A new study published in Food & Function has found that consuming cocoa during stressful periods may help counteract the adverse effects of stress. The research suggests that drinking cocoa, while stressed, leads to higher fat intake and could aid in faster recovery.
Experts say it’s common for people to crave high-fat foods when stressed. However, previous studies suggest avoiding high-fat foods is a better strategy for recovering from stress.
In particular, experts warn that prolonged stress can increase stress hormones and chronic inflammation, raising the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Even a slight reduction in blood flow can significantly elevate the risk of cardiovascular issues.
For this study, researchers recruited 23 healthy young men and women. Participants completed an 8-minute mental stress task, and 90 minutes before the task, they consumed a high-fat meal with either a high-epicatechin or low-epicatechin cocoa beverage.
To assess how their blood vessels responded, the researchers measured brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, indicating how much the arteries can widen when blood flow increases. These measurements were taken at three points: before the stress task, 30 minutes after, and 90 minutes later.
The results showed that the group that consumed the high-epicatechin cocoa had lower blood flow at the 30-minute mark, but their blood vessel function had significantly improved by 90 minutes.
The researchers concluded that drinking cocoa during periods of high stress and increased fat intake could help speed up recovery and reduce the harmful effects of stress on the body.
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