Flavonols In Cocoa, Fruit And Tea Benefit Cardiovascular Health, Study

In a recent study by German researchers, it has been found that the flavanols in cocoa, fruit and tea can help people to maintain a "healthy heart circulation" as they grow older, according to The Guardian.

It was a month-long study that showed that middle-aged people who maintained good health consumed two flavanol drinks everyday, showing reduced cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The second group that drank similar beverages had no flavanols, and so did not exhibit similar levels.

The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition  on 105 patients aged between 35 to 60 years, who drank two glasses per day of drinks that contained 500 ml of water and 450 mg of powder. While the scientists tested the experimental groups with flavanol powder, the control groups were given powder containing no flavanol.

They found that flavanols created beneficial effects on various types of factors related to cardiovascular health as age increased, including arterial stiffness, flow-mediated vasodilation and blood pressure, according to Science Codex.

For a long time, it has been found that flavanols have led to health benefits, as shown in a previous study pointing to the link between the reversal of memory decline in older adults, according to the National Post.

"When we imaged our research subjects' brains, we found noticeable improvements in the function of the dentate gyrus in those who consumed the high-cocoa-flavanol drink," said Adam M. Brickman, lead author of the study.

Hence, foods such as cocoa, fruit and tea contain flavanols, which lends them the potential to maintain balanced and healthy cardiovascular health, and also prevent memory decline with growing age, when they are integrated into a healthy diet, according to hngn.