This Warm Comfort Drink Will Improve Your Heart’s Health, Says A Recent Study

Nothing can beat the comfort that a cup of our favorite drink provides. It charges us up to get on with the day and is the first thing we turn to as our energy gets down. Wouldn’t it be great if this drink that we are so addicted to came with some health benefits too? There is one beverage that you can have on a daily basis and not worry about any potentially harmful effects it may have on your health. In fact, it can work wonders for your heart’s health and also contributes to your overall well-being. Read on to find out what it is.

Having a cup of cocoa when stressed can save your heart from many diseases

Stress, over a period of time, can cause cardiovascular diseases such as unstable blood pressure, stroke, or thrombosis. However, there are many things you can do to manage stress, and thereby, protect yourself from these complications. A study from the University of Birmingham revealed that having a cup of cocoa can act as a shield for the heart when you are under stress. The study found that when people who were stressed had a cocoa drink that contained a generous amount of flavanols, their blood vessels functioned better, as compared with the times when they had any other drink that was lacking in flavanols.

Catarina Rendiero, the lead author at the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences stated that drinking cocoa that’s rich in flavanols is a very effective way to avoid temporary malfunctioning of endothelial cells that occur post a stressful period. Along with this, it can also aid in optimal blood circulation during such times.

Several fruits and veggies also contain flavanols

Not to worry if you aren’t a big fan of cocoa. There are plenty of other delicious options you can fall back on to avail the same benefits. Rendiero mentions a wide array of foods that can help you get your daily requirement of flavanols met. These include peas, black grapes, cherries, apples, blackberries, and raspberries to name a few. Green tea is another great source of flavanols, so don’t forget to drop a pack of it in your shopping basket the next time you go grocery shopping. Catarina goes on to add that the effect of this compound on heart health during stress enables people to better guide themselves regarding their food choices when they are dealing with stressful periods.