Key Takeaways

Cocoa, apples or berries might protect couch potatoes’ heart health

Men who drank cocoa rich in flavanols did not experience a decline in blood vessel function from sitting for two hours

Fitness levels did not matter to blood vessel risk posed by sedentary behavior

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A hot cup of cocoa or tea, an apple or a bowlful of berries might help protect the heart health of couch potatoes or desk jockeys, a new study suggests.

Those foods and drinks are all rich in plant chemicals called flavanols, and a lab experiment showed that they might prevent blood vessel problems caused by too much sitting, researchers reported Oct. 29 in The Journal of Physiology .

“Consuming high-flavanol foods and drinks during periods spent sitting down is

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