Blueberries are a tasty way to soothe your sugar cravings, but now there’s a new reason to snack on them.
According to a new study from Florida State University researchers, just adding one cup of blueberries to your diet could reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness–two conditions associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
The findings are published in the latest issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States,” says Sarah A. Johnson, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at Florida State University. “Once women go through menopause, this puts them at an even greater risk for it. Our findings suggest that the addition of a single food, blueberries, to the diet may mitigate the negative cardiovascular effects that often occur as a result of menopause.”
Recruiting 48 postmenopausal women with prehypertension or stage-1 hypertension, researchers split them into two groups and had them consume one of the following: a placebo or 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder. In previous studies, researchers found that blueberries were beneficial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease–a risk factor most people with hypertension face.
In this instance, however, researchers tested this on postmenopausal women, instructing them to continue consuming these products for a total of 8 weeks. After the testing period ended, researchers measured their blood pressure and the stiffness in their arteries, indicators of heart disease.
As it turned out, the women who ate the blueberry powder decreased their systolic blood pressure by 5.1 percent and their arterial stiffness by 6.3 percent.
But why? According to Johnson, those who consumed more blueberries had a steep increase in nitric oxide levels, something that helps widen blood vessels.
“That is important because arterial stiffness and the narrowing of blood vessels are both a part of hypertension,” says Johnson. “This rise in nitric oxide helps explain the reductions in blood pressure.”
What This Means For You
Once again, research shows blueberries matter–at least as far as your heart health is concerned. To lower your blood pressure naturally, heed the advice from the study: Eat more blueberries. Just adding one cup of blueberries to your diet could help reduce your risk of heart disease–and they’re low in calories too.
“Although antihypertensive drug therapies exist, increasing numbers of people prefer natural therapies. In vivo studies and a limited number of clinical studies have demonstrated the antihypertensive and vascular-protective effects of blueberries,” write researchers. “Daily blueberry consumption may reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness, which may be due, in part, to increased nitric oxide production.”
Readers: Are blueberries a part of your diet?
Sources:
Blueberries May Help Reduce Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness – ScienceDaily.com
Daily Blueberry Consumption Improves Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women With Pre- and Stage 1-Hypertension – ANDJRNL.org
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