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We know that the approach of the holidays is a magical time. Unfortunately, it can also be accompanied by generalized stress. The pressure at work is often heavier. In addition, Christmas requires real organization between gifts and meals. A real marathon is expected from the beginning of December. To reduce the pressure, diet plays a vital role. It is, for example, recommended not to opt for a diet that is too rich and too fatty since it can accentuate anxiety. To calm down more easily and bring down the pressure, a hot drink would be ideal.
Interviewed on the occasion of mental health week, dietician Alexandra Murcier explained that: “Our diet will affect the entire functioning of our body. As much for our mental health as for our physical health.” If according to her, foods do not act directly on our well-being in themselves, there is still an exception: magnesium. It is not uncommon to be recommended magnesium to reduce anxiety and for good reason: this mineral is the only one to have a direct impact on stress, Alexandra Murcier tells us. It is therefore recommended to consume it regularly. You can find it in particular in 70% dark chocolate.
So to enjoy the benefits of chocolate and reduce stress during this end-of-year period, the best thing is to focus on cocoa, with a good hot chocolate for example. To support this theory, a study was carried out on the benefits of cocoa. Indeed, researchers from the University of Birmingham carried out work with 23 healthy men and women. All were subjected to significant mental stress. They also ate a high-fat breakfast for the experiment. It included: two butter croissants, 10 g of salted butter, a slice and a half of cheddar cheese and 250 ml of whole milk. A real competition breakfast! As for drinks, to accompany this feast, the participants drank cocoa. One party drank a drink high in flavonols and the other with a lower content. For what ? Because epicatechin is a flavonol “known to relax the cell layer of blood vessels, thereby improving their function and reducing blood pressure” specify our colleagues from at Doctissimo.
Result ? People who ate a fatty diet low in flavonols saw their blood vessel function reduced for almost 90 minutes after the test. Conversely, those who drank cocoa rich in flavonols avoided this decline, protecting the vascular functions of the candidates. Our colleagues therefore specify that: “”Dr Catarina Rendeiro, lecturer in nutritional sciences at the University of Birmingham, points out: “A very stressful job can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40%. This is partly because stress impairs vascular function, leading to permanent impairments.”
So, to prevent these risks, it is best to regularly consume foods rich in flavonols such as cocoa, for example. Christmas is therefore the ideal time to enjoy your hot chocolate. Just know that to make it as successful as possible, we have the recipe you need, to try without delay.
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