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Tea and chocolate both top the list of comfort snacks. Indulging in a steaming-hot, afternoon cup of tea in a relaxed setting or adding a little sweetness to a long day in the form of a rich, invigorating, and flavorful bite of chocolate turns an ordinary moment into something soothing, satisfying, and luxurious.
But a cozy, feet-up, tea-sipping ritual or a treat-yourself nibble of chocolate may do more than just boost your mood. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, which analyzed data from 145 randomized controlled trials, found that indulging in chocolate, tea, and some fruits, may offer powerful benefits including lowering blood pressure.
A Tasty and Protective Compound
What do these foods — cocoa, green and black tea, grapes, apples, and some berries — have in common? All of them contain flavan-3-ols (also referred to as flavanols or catechins), The Conversation reported. This natural plant compound has a mildly tart or bitter taste, gives plants their color, and protects them from the sun and from pests.
These calming and comforting food options can offer big health benefits. A single cup of green tea may contain up to 200 mg of flavan-3-ols, according to SciTechDaily. A 10 mg serving of dark chocolate, in blends with 70 percent or more cocoa, can provide up to 600 mg of this beneficial compound.
It’s important to keep in mind that while these treats, which are rich in natural cocoa powder, can provide even more of the compound, the more processed the chocolate is, the less flavan-3-ols it appears to have. Milk chocolate has around one-tenth the flavan-3-ols found in dark chocolate, while white chocolate contains no flavan-3-ols.
Other sweet snacks like red and purple grapes and apples are also reliable sources of this helpful compound. Reaching out for these refreshing food choices on your fruit platter isn’t just tasty — it may better your health.
Flavan-3-ols and Heart Health
According to the study, foods with large quantities of flavan-3-ols can both boost vascular health and lower blood pressure.
The research shows that eating flavan-3-ol-rich foods regularly was associated with a drop in systolic blood pressure by around 2.8 mmHg. But for individuals who already had high blood pressure or hypertension there was a much higher systolic reduction — up to 6–7 mmHg. In fact, for those with elevated blood pressure, the impact of regular consumption of flavan-3-ols was similar to taking medication, and improved blood vessel function.
For now, more research is needed, especially for people with diabetes, according to The Conversation. While flavan-3-ols won't take the place of medication, consuming foods filled with the compound and incorporating other healthy habits into your life, could benefit your cardiovascular health. So the next time you’re deciding on a snack — remember that taking a bite out of a crisp apple or bittersweet chocolate could do wonders for your heart.
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