Dark chocolate will improve the condition of patients with atherosclerosis
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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About whether dark chocolate is good for a person or not, experts continue to argue until now. Some experts note that chocolate should be referred to harmful products, so it can provoke obesity, diseases of the cardiovascular system, caries.
But some experts note that chocolate, if not abused by it, is an extremely useful product that stimulates brain activity, especially in old age.
Recently, a group of researchers from the United States revealed another useful feature of dark chocolate - it makes it easier for older people. Often in the elderly, people have difficulty in moving from a circulatory disorder in the legs. As shown by experiments of experts, dark chocolate can significantly alleviate the condition of older people. In the course of the experiment, patients with peripheral arterial diseases after chocolate could pass much longer. The effect was manifested after a few hours, while the milk chocolate showed no results.
Dark chocolate contains a large number of nutrients, in particular polyphenols (powerful natural antioxidants). With atherosclerosis to improve the condition of blood vessels, balanced nutrition is of great importance, and food enriched with polyphenols improves blood circulation.
Vascular disease leads to a worsening of the general condition, soreness, spasms in the legs, besides this, the likelihood of a stroke and heart attack increases. The researchers tested the effect of dark chocolate on 14 volunteers over the age of 60, who had to practice on a treadmill. The experiment was conducted in two stages: the first volunteers received dark chocolate before classes, the second - milk chocolate.
As a result, after dark chocolate volunteers managed to increase the time of training by 17 seconds and go for almost a meter more. In addition, experts have determined that in the blood after dark chocolate, the level of gas rises, which contributes to increased blood circulation. However, do not forget about the high caloric value of chocolate, which can lead to the appearance of extra pounds, which is also undesirable in old age.
In addition, the work of another research group showed that chocolate can reduce the likelihood of a stroke. As it turned out, the beneficial bacteria present in the intestine (lactic acid, bifidobacteria) produce anti-inflammatory compounds during the cleavage of chocolate, which reduce the inflammatory processes in the vessels and heart.
During the study, contained in cocoa polyphenols and fiber, in the large intestine begin to be actively processed by bacteria. As experts note, only two teaspoons of cocoa per day will help to normalize the state of the cardiovascular system. However, experts warn that to achieve a preventive effect, only natural cocoa powder, chocolate bar, in addition to cocoa, sugar, milk and other additives, can cause excess weight.
Soon, a study is planned involving nearly 20,000 people, during which the useful properties of cocoa powder in tablets will be investigated.
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