6 foods that can protect your heart from sitting all day

New research finds that foods rich in flavonols help protect your cardiovascular system from the harmful effects of sitting for long periods of time.

6 Foods That May Protect Your Heart if You Sit All Day By Stephanie Brown Published on December 11, 2025 Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, RDN Foods high in flavanol may help protect blood vessels from the damage of prolonged sitting. Natasha Breen / Getty Images Key Takeaways A high-flavanol cocoa drink reduced blood pressure changes after two hours of sitting in a small study of healthy young men.Flavanol-rich foods, such as berries, tea, and leafy greens, may help protect blood vessels from the effects of prolonged sitting.Standing or taking walking breaks is still the most effective way to counteract the cardiovascular strain of sitting too long. Foods rich in flavanols—antioxidants found in foods like berries, tea, apples, and cocoa—may help protect blood vessels from the damage caused by prolonged sitting, according to a new study. Here are six heart-healthy foods to add to your diet if you have a desk job or sedentary lifestyle. 6 Flavanol-Rich Foods That May Keep Your Heart Healthy Sitting for long periods can strain your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure. In a new study including 40 healthy young men, researchers found that drinking a high-flavanol cocoa beverage before sitting for two hours helped offset these cardiovascular effects. Foods that are rich in flavanols may offer similar benefits. For example: unsweetened cocoa green and black tea green leafy vegetables berries plums nuts “[Flavanols] are not found in a lot of meats or different starches, besides quinoa. It’s truly coming from deep colored fruits and vegetables like kale, spinach, darker romaine lettuce, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries,” Jeanette Andrade, RD, an associate professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida, told Verywell. Although the study participants consumed a cocoa beverage, this is not necessarily the best option for heart health benefits. Unsweetened cocoa tastes bitter, so many people will want to add sugar, which could counteract the beneficial effects of the flavanol-rich cocoa, she said. Related Stories What Happens to Your Cholesterol and Inflammation When You Eat Prunes Regularly Why Sauerkraut Might Be One of the Best Foods for Your Gut Health Why Eating Flavanols Before Sitting Helps The cocoa beverage used in the study contained 695 mg of flavanols, slightly more than the recommended 400-600 mg per day from food sources. In comparison, a cup of tea provides about 120–320 mg, and a cup of blackberries offers about 65 mg. The participants drank the high-flavanol cocoa right before sitting, which may have helped maximize its protective effect. "Flavanols are usually absorbed into circulation approximately 30 to 60 minutes post intake, with peak availability occurring close to two hours, and are usually cleared from the blood after four hours. This is usually the time window in which the benefits described in our study occur," Catarina Rendeiro, MSc, PhD, an assistant professor in nutritional sciences at the University of Birmingham in the UK and senior author of the study, told Verywell in an email. However, blueberries peak closer to an hour after intake, and citrus fruits can take five to seven hours, Rendeiro added. Standing Breaks Still Matter Most Snacking on berries or sipping green tea before sitting for a few hours is a good idea, but taking a break from sitting is still more impactful. "If possible, breaking up sitting with standing or short walks should be the main strategy used. However, in situations in which that is not possible, using healthy dietary strategies rich in flavanols may help mitigate some of the negative effects of sitting on vascular function," Rendeiro said. Previous studies have shown that standing or taking short exercise breaks to disrupt prolonged sitting periods helps improve blood flow, inflammation, and cognitive function. Read more: Prevention & Treatment Diet and Nutrition 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Daniele A, Lucas SJE, Rendeiro C. Dietary flavanols preserve upper‐ and lower‐limb endothelial function during sitting in high‐ and low‐fit young healthy males. J Physiol. 2025:JP289038. doi:10.1113/JP289038 Crowe-White KM, Evans LW, Kuhnle GGC, et al. Flavan-3-ols and cardiometabolic health: first ever dietary bioactive guideline. Advances in Nutrition. 2022;13(6):2070-2083. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac105 University of California, Davis. Researchers issue dietary recommendation for a food compound to support heart health. Chandrasekaran B, Pesola AJ, Rao CR, Arumugam A. Does breaking up prolonged sitting improve cognitive functions in sedentary adults? A mapping review and hypothesis formulation on the potential physiological mechanisms. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):274. doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04136-5 By Stephanie Brown Brown is a nutrition writer who received her Didactic Program in Dietetics certification from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Previously, she worked as a nutrition educator and culinary instructor in New York City. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit