If you enjoy a scoop of yoghurt in the morning or as a quick snack during the day, here’s some good news: it might help you manage your blood pressure.
New research from the University of South Australia, in collaboration with the University of Maine, suggests that even small amounts of yoghurt could be beneficial for people with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than a billion people around the world. It’s a major risk factor for serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.
In fact, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. In the United States, someone dies from a cardiovascular condition every 36 seconds. In Australia, it’s every 12 minutes.
The study found a strong link between yoghurt consumption and lower blood pressure, particularly in people already diagnosed with hypertension.
According to UniSA researcher Dr Alexandra Wade, yoghurt seems to be especially helpful because it contains important nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals help the body regulate blood pressure.
But yoghurt has another advantage: it contains healthy bacteria that may help release special proteins which lower blood pressure naturally.
For the study, the researchers looked at 915 adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Participants answered a food questionnaire that asked about their typical yoghurt consumption. The researchers then compared this with each person’s blood pressure.
They found that even small amounts of yoghurt were associated with lower blood pressure among people with hypertension. Those who ate yoghurt regularly had even better results — their blood pressure readings were nearly seven points lower than those who didn’t eat yoghurt at all. That’s a meaningful drop, especially for people at risk of heart problems.
In this study, high blood pressure was defined as 140/90 mmHg or higher. A normal blood pressure reading is under 120/80 mmHg.
Dr Wade says it’s important to keep looking for simple, everyday ways to help manage high blood pressure. “This study showed that people who eat yoghurt regularly may be doing their hearts a favor,” she says.
While more research is needed to confirm these findings, especially through intervention studies, this research adds to growing evidence that diet — even small changes like adding yoghurt — can make a big difference.
So, whether it’s added to cereal or eaten straight from the tub, yoghurt might be an easy and tasty way to support your heart health.
The study is published in International Dairy Journal.
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