Health
Certain bitter foods may trigger a brain response similar to working out, study finds
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The dry, puckering sensation you get from dark chocolate, red wine, tea or berries could actually be activating your brain in a way similar to exercise, according to a new study.
New research from Japan suggests that flavanols — plant compounds found in these foods — may stimulate the brain not by being absorbed into the bloodstream, but by triggering a sensory response tied to their bitter taste.
“The key finding of this experiment is that it first demonstrated how flavanol intake stimulation — likely the bitter taste — is transmitted to the central nervous system, triggering a stress response reaction that enhances short-term memory and produces beneficial effects on the circulatory system,” professor Naomi Osakabe of Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan told Fox News Digital.
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“It was surprising that flavanol’s brain activity-enhancing effect occurred at a very low dose,” she added.
Flavanols found in cocoa, red wine and berries may stimulate sensory nerves that enhance focus and alertness. (iStock)
In experiments on mice, a single dose of flavanols increased spontaneous activity and improved performance on memory tests, according to the study, published in Current Research in Food Science.
Researchers also observed rapid activation of brain regions involved in attention, arousal and stress regulation.
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Because very little of the flavanols people consume actually enter the bloodstream, researchers believe they may instead influence the brain and heart by stimulating sensory nerves.
The researchers describe the concept as part of an emerging field known as sensory nutrition, the idea that the taste and physical sensations of food may directly regulate biological functions. This could eventually lead to new types of foods that combine appealing taste and beneficial physiological effects.
Berries are a natural source of flavanols, plant compounds being studied for potential cognitive and cardiovascular benefits. (iStock)
The response resembles what happens during mild exercise, which is a temporary activation of the sympathetic nervous system sometimes described as a fight-or-flight response. This type of short-term stress can sharpen focus and alertness.
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“While it is clear that healthy foods contribute to maintaining and enhancing homeostasis, the mechanisms remain largely unclear,” Osakabe said. “Notably, this study identified the potential for the taste of food components to regulate biological functions.”
The study does have limitations, as the research was conducted on animals and foods are complex mixtures of many compounds that may interact with one another.
The brain’s response to flavanols resembles the temporary “fight-or-flight” activation seen during mild exercise. (iStock)
Larger, human studies are needed to determine whether the effects seen in mice also occur in people.
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“I do not believe people, including most doctors, are aware that a taste of a specific molecule or compound can rapidly trigger major changes in the brain,” Dr. Johnson Moon, a neurologist at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in California, previously told Fox News Digital regarding sensory nutrition.
More data is needed before foods like dark chocolate can be recommended, especially because calories, sugar and fat could outweigh the benefits, Moon said.
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Still, Osakabe noted that previous long-term human studies on cocoa flavanols have suggested cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. For now, she recommends a balanced, plant-forward diet.
Experts say more research is needed before flavanol-rich foods can be recommended specifically for cognitive benefits. (iStock)
“I believe consuming plant-based foods like cocoa, berries, and red wine, along with fruits and vegetables, can help maintain health,” she said.
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Major health organizations say that if adults choose to drink alcohol, they should do so in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and two for men — and emphasize that no amount of alcohol is completely risk-free.
Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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