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One in four American adults sits for more than eight hours a day
Julia Mustoin New YorkThursday 11 December 2025 23:00 GMTComments
CloseAmerican drivers lost more than a full work week sitting in traffic during 2025
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Americans are couch potatoes, with one in four U.S. adults having cheeks on the seat for more than eight hours a day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which raises the risk for obesity and death from heart disease and cancer.
Still, eating certain foods can help your heart – even if you’re sitting around a lot.
Teas, berries and other foods rich in flavanols, a plant compound that’s also a powerful inflammation-fighting antioxidant, can help reduce blood pressure and slow the negative health effects of sitting too long.
“Given how common sedentary lifestyles have become and the increased risk this can have to vascular health, using flavanol-rich food and drink, especially in combination with breaking up periods of inactivity by going for a short walk or standing up, could be a good way to enhance long-term health, no matter the individual’s fitness level,” the University of Birmingham’s Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, the author of a recent study showing these benefits, explained.
open image in galleryEating berries, nuts and other foods with inflammation-fighting plant compounds can protect heart health – even if you’re sitting around a lot (Getty Images/iStock)A cup of cocoa that helps artery health
Multiple studies have suggested that adding cocoa to your diet can help with cholesterol and artery health.
Drinking a cup of unsweetened cocoa that’s high in flavanols helps to regulate blood flow, the Birmingham researchers said.
Whereas people who drank cocoa with lower levels of flavanols had increased diastolic blood pressure.
And people can get higher-flavanol drinks in grocery stores.
“It is actually quite easy to add high flavanol foods to your diet,” Alessio Daniele, a PhD student from the university, added.
Green leafy veggies have antioxidants that improve blood flow
Leafy greens also contain antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which improve blood flow by reducing inflammation.
The greens are a good source of nitrates, as well. Nitrates are naturally occurring chemicals that can reduce the risk of stomach and other cancers.
Some studies show that eating vegetables high in nitrates may also lower blood pressure, although more research needs to be done.
Snacking on berries can reduce high blood pressure
Berries are also rich in antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, according to the National Council on Aging.
Research has linked anthocyanins to a reduction in blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, which is also known as hypertension.
"Of all of the flavonoids, anthocyanins seem to be the most protective in terms of reducing risk of hypertension," Aedin Cassidy, of the University of East Anglia, told NBC News.
A tea that opens the sinuses and the blood vessels
Drinking green or black tea may also help keep the heart and blood vessels healthy because of its hefty dose of flavanols, with green tea having slightly higher amounts than black.
"Tea is a good source of compounds known as catechins and epicatechins, which are thought to be responsible for tea's beneficial health effects," Dr. Howard Sesso, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said.
open image in galleryDrinking green and black tea have blood vessel-opening flavanols (Getty Images for James Beard Foundation)A power plum pant compound
Plums are packed with quercetin, a type of plant compound that has anti-inflammatory properties, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Quercetin improves blood flow to the brain and heart.
Inflammation-fighting nuts
Multiple kinds of nuts have been shown to improve blood circulation.
Walnuts and almonds reduce inflammation, and a recent study showed that eating stroke-preventing peanuts every day increased blood flow in the brain.
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