In a new study from the University of South Australia, researchers found a daily dose of yogurt could be the next go-to food for people with high blood pressure.
They examined the associations between yogurt intake, blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors, finding that yogurt is associated with lower blood pressure for those with hypertension.
Globally, more than a billion people suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure), putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as heart attack and stroke.
CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide—in the United States, one person dies from CVD every 36 seconds.
UniSA researcher says this study provides new evidence that connects yogurt with positive blood pressure outcomes for hypertensive people.
In the study, the team found dairy foods, especially yogurt, may be capable of reducing blood pressure.
This is because dairy foods contain a range of micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure.
Yogurt is especially interesting because it also contains bacteria that promote the release of proteins which lowers blood pressure.
This study showed for people with elevated blood pressure, even small amounts of yogurt were associated with lower blood pressure.
And for those who consumed yogurt regularly, the results were even stronger, with blood pressure readings nearly seven points lower than those who did not consume yogurt.
The study was conducted on 915 adults. Habitual yogurt consumption was measured using a food frequency questionnaire.
High blood pressure was defined as being greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg (a normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg).
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about what is a healthy blood pressure, and findings of beetroot that could protect against high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure health, please see recent studies about resistant hypertension – high blood pressure that’s hard to treat, and results showing that lowering blood pressure to this number can strongly reduce heart disease risk.
The study is published in International Dairy Journal. One author of the study is Dr. Alexandra Wade.
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