Eat cocoa daily to keep your heart healthy

Eating cocoa, which contains naturally occurring organic compounds, can keep the heart healthy and reduce blood pressure, atherosclerosis and cholesterol levels, according to a recent international medical study.

The study was conducted by researchers from the British University of Surrey, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the United States, and published in the United States. American Journal of Clinical Clinical Nutrition.

Cocoa contains two naturally active biologically active compounds, flavanols and procyanidins.

To study the effectiveness of cocoa on heart health, the team conducted two studies: the first on 45 healthy adult men and divided them into three groups taking different amounts of flavanol and brucidane in order to determine their respective effects on cardiovascular health.

The first group studied the cocoa extract containing 130 milligrams of flavanol and 560 milligrams of brucidan per day, while the latter consumed the cocoa extract containing only 20 milligrams of flavanol and 540 milligrams of brucidine per day. I took fake capsules that did not contain any cocoa compounds.

The team also conducted another five-year study, involving approximately 21,000 men and women across the United States.

The researchers found that people taking daily cocoa extract at different concentrations improved blood vessel function, blood pressure, atherosclerosis and cholesterol in the blood after a month of daily cocoa consumption , compared to the placebo group.

The team noted that the compounds of "flavanol" and "brucyanure" are also found in apples, grapes and berries.

The benefits of "flavanol" and "brucyanide" include improvements in the ability of blood vessels to stretch, as well as improvements in blood pressure and arteriosclerosis in the long term, said Dr. Christian Hayes, University Researcher at the University of Surrey.

"As you get older, blood pressure, cholesterol, and arteriosclerosis increase, resulting in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death," the study revealed. Eating foods rich in flavanol and brucidine can help people stay healthy. Heart.