We have been studying chocolate and tea compounds for more than 75 years. Now we know that they help control blood pressure

A well -known Anglo -Saxon saying that an apple per day keeps doctors at bay. The nutrients of these fruits are undoubtedly a good way to prevent in the field of health. However, the healthy compounds we find in fruits such as apple or grapes are not their exclusive heritage of these. Some can also find them in tastier foods such as tea or chocolate. Flavanoles This is the case of the flavanoles (or flavan-3-tools), some compounds that, as a study has just verified, They can help us to keep our blood pressure under control. The study suggests that foods rich in these compounds, such as tea, chocolate, and fruits such as apple and grapes can help us reduce our blood pressure and with it our cardiovascular health. “The findings are hopeful for those who seek accessible ways to manage their blood pressure and support their cardiac health through enjoyable changes. Incorporating small amounts of foods commonly consumed, such as tea, apples, dark chocolate, or cocoa powder in a balanced diet can provide beneficial amounts of flavan-3-tools,” stood out in a press release Christian Heiss, co -author of the study. This last point is important, a balanced diet is always key when taking the nutritional advantages of any food. As Heiss himself clarifies, this type of dietary changes never serve as replacement for drugs, interventions and treatments prescribed by health professionals. These foods can be considered as an additional source of Flavanoles, but it may not be the main one. Old acquaintances. Flavanoles are old acquaintances for nutrition experts. These compounds are related to the color of some foods of plant origin, but throughout the last decades we have been detecting possible benefits of these compounds in people’s health. A decade ago, for example, it was observed Thanks to a study with mice that these compounds could delay the progression of type 2 diabetes. Other studies They have detected a positive effect of these compounds About memorythat It could be mediated for its positive effect on blood circulation. 75 years of research. The new study Show the results of a review of scientific and subsequent meta -analysis literature. The team compiled randomized essays published between 1946 and 2024, in which the effects on the blood pressure of rich foods in flanks and supplements of these compounds were tested. From these analyzes, the team concluded that foods rich in Flavenoles “considerably” high blood pressure, which supports its use in cardiovascular prevention. These foods “should be considered as effective components of interventions (based on healthy habits) to reduce blood pressure and cardiovascular prevention,” The team points out. The details of the study have been published In an article In the magazine European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. A grain of sand. Nutrition is a complex science and that is why we must take into account very different considerations. For example, that a food is rich in a certain compound does not always mean that its consumption will allow us to reach the amounts that we require from the nutrient. It is also important to know if there are other nutrients or compounds that may affect us. For example, both black chocolate and milk chocolate can contribute to us Flavenoles, but the second probably also gives us excessive amounts of sugar that counteract the positive impact of these compounds. In Xataka | We go to the most expensive chocolate in history: how the cocoa crisis will shoot its price Image | Maryam Nemati

We have just discovered one of the best kept secrets of the Mediterranean diet: its compounds

There is little we can say that we have not already been told about the virtues of the Mediterranean diet. However, some scientists still persist in studying this diet and its components, with questions about what makes this diet more beneficial or what we can learn from it. A recent study led by researchers from the Autonomous University of Barcelona tries to answer this second question. Very present compounds. To do this, the team performed an analysis focused on a selection of key compounds that we can find in plants such as garlic, saffron, olive or rosemary, among others. These are plants closely related to the Mediterranean diet since they provide some of the most used ingredients and condiments in it. The team responsible for the study points out that some of these active components are “promising” when considering treatments for diseases such as atherosclerosis. They also indicate that they could help reduce the risk of problems such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Plants and Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is closely linked to a series of ingredients and condiments, many of them extracted from plants that we can find in the regions adjacent to the sea that bathes the coasts of European, Asian and African countries. The team It started from six “representative” plants: garlic (Allium sativum), the hawthorn bush (Crataegus monogyna), saffron (Crocussativus), the olive tree (Olea europaea), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), and the vine (Vitis vinifera). The study focused, however, on fifteen bioactive compounds present in these plants: diallyl trisulfide, allicin and S-allyl (cysteine) (in garlic); quercetin, apigenin and chlorogenic acid (in the hawthorn bush); crocina and safranal (in saffron); oleic acid, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and oleacein (in olive); rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid (in rosemary); and resveratrol (in the vine). Analyzing the literature. The team carried out a review of the scientific literature focusing on these compounds and their potential properties in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. That is, we searched among previously published studies for those that analyzed the potential benefits of these compounds. Details of the process were published in an article in the magazine Food Bioscience. Mixtures and dosage. The team explains that extracts based on these compounds are “promising,” but also points out some factors to consider. For example, the so-called “matrix effect”. This refers to the fact that the combined ingestion of these compounds with others can alter the effectiveness of their therapeutic effects, both to improve and diminish these effects. This, together with the greater or lesser amount of a compound contained in a food, means that it is not always possible to extrapolate the benefits of a compound to the food that contains it. Understanding the interactions between different compounds, the team highlights, is “essential” to optimize their therapeutic application. One last detail that the team focuses on is the need not to equate “natural” with the best, even in these contexts. “The ‘natural’ label does not guarantee safety, and this emphasizes the need to prioritize pharmacokinetic, toxicological and clinical studies to evaluate its effectiveness, safety and efficiency compared to existing medicines,” They emphasize in their press release. In Xataka | Two new studies reinforce something we already suspected: our diet has a lot to do with cancers of the digestive system Image | Angeleses

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.