A sedentary lifestyle worsens blood vessel health and increases heart risk. But new evidence suggests that a drink high in cocoa may help to reduce some of the damage caused by long hours of sitting. Scientists attribute this to flavonoids, compounds in cocoa that improve blood vessel elasticity and circulation and help keep blood pressure within normal limits.
Prolonged sitting is one of the most underestimated threats to the cardiovascular system. It increases blood pressure, worsens blood circulation in the extremities, accelerates the development of atherosclerosis and, in the long term, increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. This is due to the fact that blood vessels, in conditions of almost immobile muscles, lose their normal tone and pass blood more poorly.
Researchers from the UK tested a simple thing: what would happen if a person drank a drink with a high content of cocoa flavonoids before sitting for a long time. The test involved 40 healthy men who were made to sit without a break for two hours. Some of the volunteers were given cocoa with a high concentration of flavonoids (approximately 700 mg), while others were given a drink with a minimal content of these compounds. Then the scientists measured the condition of the blood vessels in their arms and legs, blood flow and blood pressure.
The result was revealing. Those who drank the cocoa “rich” in flavonoids did not experience the deterioration of vascular health typical of prolonged sitting: the elasticity of the arteries was preserved, blood flow did not drop, and the increase in diastolic pressure was minimal. In contrast, in the group with a drink with a low flavonoid content, the vascular response noticeably worsened within the same two hours.
One mechanism is that cocoa stimulates the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels, improves microcirculation, and helps keep blood pressure under control. It is thanks to this action of flavonoids that blood vessels remain more "alive" even when muscles are barely working.
Importantly, the effect was seen in both fit and less fit participants. In other words, even good overall fitness doesn't completely protect against the harms of prolonged sitting—but cocoa flavonoids partially compensated for this factor in all groups.
Does this mean that cocoa “cures sitting”? Not really. Experts warn that the studies were conducted on healthy volunteers without cardiovascular disease, and we are talking about a short-term effect after a single dose. There is no evidence yet that cocoa can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in the long term, especially in people with diabetes, hypercholesterolemia or already high blood pressure. This is not an “antidote for the office”, but rather temporary support for vascular function.
How to put this into practice
– We are not talking about sweet cocoa with sugar and cream, but about a cocoa-based drink with a high content of flavonoids (good quality dark cocoa/cocoa powder or natural dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa beans).
– The researchers’ guideline is a fairly concentrated dose of flavonoids, about a few hundred milligrams. In everyday life, this is usually 1–2 unsweetened cups per day in water or milk with a minimum of sweetener. This correlates with previous positions of EU and US regulators, which allow a cautious statement that about 200 mg of cocoa flavanols per day can maintain normal vascular elasticity, but the evidence remains “supportive, not conclusive.”
– Cinnamon, spices, high-quality crushed cocoa beans are more like flavor and additional polyphenols, but not magic. The main thing is not to turn a “vascular drink” into a dessert with extra calories. Excess sugar and excess weight themselves hit the blood vessels.
And a very important reminder:
Cocoa does not cancel movement. The best protection for the cardiovascular system is regular breaks from sitting, short walks, neck and leg warm-ups, basic exercises and normal blood pressure. Flavonoids can temporarily improve the work of blood vessels while sitting, but they will not replace muscle work, because it is the muscles that are the main pump for venous return of blood from the legs and a factor in stable blood pressure.
A small cup of unsweetened cocoa is a nice habit that can help your blood vessels get through the office day. But it only works in conjunction with exercise, not instead of it.
