We know that mental stress has a negative effect on our body, in particular on our blood vessels. If you are under stress, your heart rate together with your blood pressure immediatly go up, and the function of your blood vessels is temporary impaired. That is why too much stress in your life significantly increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, heart disease and thrombosis.

So, what can you do to help your body better deal with stress? There are different ways to do that. One of them is through food. According to a recent UK study, a flavanol-rich cocoa drink can not only reduce temporary decreased function of blood vessels as a result of mental stress, but also improve blood flow during stressful times.

A cocoa drink (enriched with flavanols, as it was in the study) is just an example of flavanol-rich foods. In your daily life you can achieve the same results if you make a cacao drink from raw (unprocessed) cacao powder, or eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, black grapes, blackberries, raspberries, pears, pulses and green tea. If you do that on a daily basis, you’ll protect your precious blood vessels from stressful moments. Especially it is crucial for those, who are more vulnerable to stress.

Curious? HERE is the source