How does cocoa affect blood pressure?

Most people with blood pressure problems are not sure how the crushed cocoa decoction will affect their cardiovascular system. Cardiologists advise drinking cocoa in moderation, because it contains a lot of calories.

Useful and harmful properties

Cocoa beans give many useful components to the drink, since they include:

• B vitamins stabilize the activity of the nervous system;
• zinc has a positive effect on the condition of the hair;
• iron, manganese, fluorine, nicotinic acid, as well as a number of other components, due to which the immune function increases, and the enamel of the teeth becomes stronger;
• melanin gives the skin protection from UV rays;
• Elicatechin reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Experts note the normalizing effect of cocoa on the cardiovascular system, the components help to expand blood vessels, contribute to greater elasticity of their walls. From a cup of cold treats, the state of health will only improve, the person will feel muscle relaxation and a decrease in blood pressure. The active ingredients prevent the formation of blood clots. Hypertensive patients can drink a drink in small quantities under the control of blood pressure indicators.

There is also a negative impact on health, this effect is created for a number of reasons:

1. The composition contains caffeine. In comparison with other products, the content of the substance is low, but the effect on the body of children and during gestation is significant. It is for this reason that drinking cocoa is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age.
2. Conditions in which trees grow. Intensive pest control treatments are carried out on plantations with rapidly acting chemical compounds. Radiological methods are often used to get rid of bugs. Chemical components are stored inside the fruit, which has a bad effect on the body and is negatively reflected in hypertension.
3. A large number of calories imposes restrictions, for example, in diabetes mellitus, the decoction is not recommended by specialists.

How does the product affect blood pressure

Before choosing products, their effect on cholesterol and other nuances is not always taken into account, but in case of problems with blood pressure, it is important to be more careful about your well-being, because adjusting the diet is the first measure applicable to improve the condition. Hardly any of us, drinking a cup of cocoa, wondered how the product affects the pressure: increases it or causes a decrease. Research carried out at the University Hospital of Cologne has shown amazing results. It turned out that a delicious drink can lower blood pressure despite the presence of caffeine in its composition. Everything is explained simply - its concentration in cocoa is insignificant. People with high blood pressure can also enjoy the taste of cocoa. True, it should be borne in mind that the use of the product does not solve the problem called hypertensive crisis. This is a serious complication of hypertension that requires immediate treatment.

A number of recommendations will allow you to achieve normalization of the pressure level and avoid a decrease in it:

• limiting the amount of drink is important, it should be drunk up to 400 ml during the day, this is about 2 cups;
• when consumed, do not eat products that also contain cocoa beans (confectionery products with chocolate filling, coating, chocolate of any kind).

Cocoa is really capable of normalizing blood pressure (raising or lowering). This is achieved due to the presence in its composition of various substances (caffeine, flavanols, theobromine and others), and regular use of the drink makes the walls of blood vessels elastic, stimulates the work of the heart muscle.

General effect on the body

Many people are familiar with the meteorological dependence, thanks to a cup of cocoa, it is possible to reduce the effect of this factor on blood pressure indicators. Minerals, trace elements, vitamins make the product useful, but subject to limited use and the right choice. Antioxidants are found in abundance to improve immune performance. Tryptophan, serotonin, phenylethylamine act on the principle of a mild sedative. Cocohil accelerates regeneration processes. Beans are a treasure trove of benefits, they help prevent the development of atherosclerosis and protect against ischemia. A quality broth lowers blood pressure.

Can I use cocoa for hypertensive patients?

Many people ask questions about how compatible cocoa and high blood pressure are. Since the product leads to the normalization of blood pressure, it is recommended for hypertension. Beans improve the work of blood flow, which allows you to lower the pressure or bring it back to normal.

If the benefits of cocoa powder are important to you, and you suffer from hypertension, then you need to consider a number of features:

1. Choosing between tea and cocoa, you can choose the second option, since green tea has a large dose of caffeine, and black tea has a lot of tannin.
2. Low-quality cocoa is unacceptable, it will only increase the pressure, take the choice with the utmost responsibility. The brewed beverage, which actually contains beans, should give a rich chocolate flavor with a bit of bitterness. Domestic products with a natural composition are very rare, so you should pay attention to imported cocoa brands.
3. Theobromine is a component of beans, it has a stimulating effect on the heart muscle, increasing endurance to abnormalities in blood pressure. For this quality, a fragrant delicacy should be consumed with hypotension, hypertension, the clinical picture of the disease will not worsen from this.

Features of the drink

Until the scientists obtained information about the healing properties of cocoa, it was not recommended for permanent use. Today it is a kind of storehouse of useful minerals and 300 compounds of various types.

Flavonols are an important ingredient in cocoa. They became the secret substance that is responsible for the normalization of blood pressure and helps to ensure the necessary blood flow to both the heart and the brain. Theobromine is another important component, since it prevents cholesterol plaques from appearing. Not so long ago, epicatechin was discovered with the help of regular use of which it is possible to reduce the likelihood of myocardial infarction, diabetes, stroke. Caffeine present in cocoa beans has a mild effect on the nervous system and dilates blood vessels.

Due to antioxidants, the risk of heart disease is reduced, polyphenols prevent platelets from sticking together and interfere with blood thickening. Vitamins and minerals contribute to the correct process of hematopoiesis and improve the general condition of the human body.

Cocoa with coffee: effect on blood pressure

Not everyone knows how cocoa will work when mixed with coffee. This drink turns out to be quite tasty and invigorating. Ingredients affect the level of pressure in different ways: cocoa lowers the performance, and coffee increases it.

A mixture of components will have the following effects:

• blood pressure indicators will not change;
• substances contained in coffee enhance the beneficial effects of cocoa on our body;
• the broth will raise the spirits and increase efficiency.

According to scientists, coffee with cocoa is healthier than drinking them separately based on research data. In their course, the staff of the British University proved the benefits of a drink in the amount of a cup per day, which will prevent many health problems and contribute to longevity.

How much cocoa is safe for blood pressure problems?

There is a tribe whose natives drink 6 cups of decoction from cocoa beans every day. At the same time, they feel great and do not suffer from hypertension even in old age. Modern residents of megalopolises from such a dose can only feel negative, but 1-2 cups will have a rather positive effect.

Cocoa can also be drunk as a preventive measure. Proper use will have a good effect on the underlying causes of hypertension, including: increased fatigue, stressful conditions. Powders like Nesquik are prohibited under pressure, they contain a lot of sugar, you need to look for a product that contains 80% natural cocoa powder - its taste should be bitter. Such a drink cannot be cheap, but it is not worth saving on health. Freeze-dried cocoa is also not suitable for hypertensive patients; it is supplemented with a number of harmful additives, flavoring components.

Tips for choosing a quality product:

• studying the composition will help to understand more about the product, often there are trans fats, milk fat, pesticides. Such components are not only not useful, but can also provoke allergies;
• the familiar aroma of dark chocolate, uniformity, brown tone - signs of a high-quality powder;
• if the beans have gone through fewer processing steps, more benefits are retained, including for improving well-being and blood pressure regulation;
• caution should be maintained for hypertensive patients with overweight, half of the cocoa mass is fat, and the norm of caffeine per day is 10 mg.

Conclusions

Despite the fact that cocoa contains a large number of calories, not only children but also adults love to consume it. The drink contains vitamins that have a positive effect on the entire body as a whole. For hypertensive patients, it will be useful in that it will stabilize blood pressure and improve the general condition.

It should be noted also meteorological people, for whom cocoa will become a real salvation. The usefulness of the product has been proven by medical research, therefore, drinking one cup of cocoa a day, you can make your body not only more invigorated, but also healthier.