Many benefits, especially in the brain, are given by the flavonols contained in cocoa.
The results of the first study using objective measures of the diets of thousands of UK residents, published in Scientific Reports, highlighted the incidence of some foods present in the daily diet of 25,000 British people with their blood pressure.
A study in which nutritional biomarkers were used to investigate bioactive compounds: Unlike most other studies investigating the links between nutrition and health, British researchers did not rely on study participants reporting their eating habits, but they measured flavanol intake objectively using nutritional biomarkers, ie indicators of food intake, metabolism or nutritional status that are present in the blood.
The epidemiological study by British researchers, the first to have objectively investigated the correlation between a specific bioactive compound and health, has shown that there is a "significant association between the consumption of foods rich in flavanol and the lowering of blood pressure."
What are flavanols?
Flavanols are secondary metabolites produced by plants, a subgroup of a broader category of chemicals called flavonoids. Present in various plant species, these fundamental phytonutrients are able to amplify the beneficial properties of foods that contain them in modest quantities.
Catechins, for example, a class of flavanols present in various foods and drinks, exert an "antioxidant and cardioprotective" action. Flavanols have many beneficial properties, are able to have a positive effect on blood circulation, in particular by protecting small venous vessels, and contribute to the proper functioning of the liver.
Furthermore, flavanols would be able to reduce the oxidation of cholesterol, a process that involves an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. In general, this fundamental substance for the well-being of the organism, is found mostly in the peel and in fruit seeds. and vegetables. The flavanol requirement varies according to the diet. According to some research, in most of Europe the average intake is 50mg per day. Many foods that help prevent arteriosclerosis have a high content of antioxidants and flavonoids.
of the body, to lower blood pressure, to improve circulation, and to counteract the action of free radicals.
In the case of vegetables or fruits with edible peel, it is advisable to eat it as it is the richest part of flavonoids in general, as well as flavanols. When deciding to order delivery dishes, it is useful to check the properties of the ingredients and their nutritional value to choose healthier takeaway foods.
Here are the foods rich in flavanols to introduce into your daily diet. Many of them fall within the list of healthy and cheap foods that must never be missing within a balanced diet.
- apples,
- avocado,
- figs,
- mango,
- strawberries,
- cherries,
- tender,
- green tea
- broccoli
- cocoa
- spinach
- Red onion
- lettuce
- blueberries
- buckwheat
- white and red wine
Green tea and dark chocolate
For their nutritional richness they are considered super foods. Cocoa and green tea are the foods that boast the highest content of flavanols, allies of health. Cocoa, the main component of dark chocolate, contains high doses of flavanols, including epicatechin, catechin and oligomeric proanthocyanidins.
Cocoa improves mood, counteracts stress, strengthens the immune system and memory, and causes a noticeable dilation of peripheral blood vessels. This explains why foods rich in these flavonoids would protect against coronary heart disease, including heart attacks.
Green tea, antioxidant food par excellence able to slow down aging, promote tissue regeneration and counteract the action of free radicals, contains flavanols capable of relieving oxidative stress.
Green tea would also fight inflammation.
Oxidative stress is caused by several factors, including pollution, diet and exposure to chemicals, circumstances that could create an imbalance between free radicals and the body's ability to eliminate them.
, would protect against heart disease and anti-inflammatory processes. Catechins, a type of flavonoid, would contribute to the well-being of the heart, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main catechin green tea is rich in, could reduce vascular inflammation by inhibiting the generation of nitrogen monoxide. Reduced nitrogen levels, moreover, can decrease endothelial exocytosis.
Endothelial cells form the lining of blood vessels: when the vesicles of these cells fuse with the plasma membrane they give rise to endothelial exocytosis, releasing pro-inflammatory proteins, which cause vascular inflammation, a state that precedes arteriosclerosis (stiffening of the arteries ).
