Scientists from Boston University found that regular yogurt intake is linked to lower heart disease risk in people with high blood pressure.
Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart.
Heart diseases include Blood vessel disease, such as coronary artery disease. Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) Heart defects you’re born with (congenital heart defects).
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common disease that develops when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures.
Your blood pressure is made up of two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the ventricles pump blood out of the heart.
Diastolic pressure is the pressure between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood.
For most adults, normal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which is written as your systolic pressure reading over your diastolic pressure reading — 120/80 mm Hg.
Your blood pressure is considered high when you have consistent systolic readings of 130 mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or higher.
High blood pressure is a big heart disease risk factor. Clinical studies have found beneficial effects of dairy foods on risks of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Yogurt, a fermented dairy product, can be high in protein, calcium, vitamins, live culture, or probiotics, which can enhance the gut microbiota.
These can offer protection for bones and teeth and help prevent digestive problems. Low-fat yogurt can be a useful source of protein in a weight-loss diet. Probiotics may boost the immune system.
Previous research suggests that yogurt may be linked to lower heart disease risk.
The research is published in the American Journal of Hypertension and was conducted by Justin R Buendia et al.
In the current study, researchers aimed to examine the association between yogurt intake and heart disease risk in people with high blood pressure.
They also wanted to see whether the association differs among those whose eating pattern more closely resembles the DASH diet.
The team used data from 55,898 female Nurses’ Health studies and 18,232 male Health Professional’s Follow-Up Study participants with high blood pressure.
They found yogurt intake was associated with lower heart disease risk (heart attack and stroke) among people with high blood pressure.
In people consuming ≥2 servings/week of yogurt, women had a 17% lower risk while men had a 21% lower heart disease risk compared to those who consumed <1 serving/month.
Furthermore, regular yogurt consumers with higher DASH diet scores had 16% and 30% heart disease risk reductions.
Based on the findings, the team concluded that men and women with high blood pressure who consumed ≥2 servings/week of yogurt, especially in the context of a healthy diet, have a lower risk for developing heart disease.
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