Mecanismos cardioprotetores do cacau: revisão de literatura

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effects of cocoa on cardiovascular health, with an emphasis on bioactive compounds and their potential benefits. The research consisted of a narrative review of the literature, with a search for publications conducted in electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and PubMed, from 2014 to 2024, using search strategies and keywords. Studies that investigated the effects of cocoa consumption on cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure, lipid profile, endothelial function and inflammation, were selected. The evidence presented includes the potential of cocoa flavonoids, particularly concentrated in dark chocolate, to reduce blood pressure, decrease arterial stiffness, reduce inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes, and have antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Frequent cocoa consumption also has benefits in significantly reducing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increasing HDL. This narrative review, based on the studies analyzed, provides evidence of the potential of cocoa as a functional food, and also that its regular intake can promote benefits to vascular health in both people with pre-existing conditions and in healthy individuals. The study reaffirms the importance of cocoa compounds in dietary interventions aimed at strengthening cardiovascular health.