By now you know what you shouldn’t eat if you want to lower your blood pressure. Salt, processed foods, fatty foods, alcohol, and refined sugar are just some of the no-no’s if you want a healthy blood pressure. Well, a new study has uncovered the antihypertensive effects of a widely popular fruit, which not only can help lower your blood pressure, but can prevent type 2 diabetes and improve vascular function as well.
Itching to know what this miracle food is? Check your refrigerator, as you may already have some in there.
Daily consumption of pears improves blood pressure
A new study has revealed that the daily consumption of fresh pears can help improve blood pressure numbers and vascular function, as well as prevent type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged men and women. The clinical trial evaluated the antihypertensive effects of pears in middle-aged men and women with a metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The participants were assigned to either consuming two medium-sized pears or drinking a pear-flavored beverage over the course of 12 weeks.
After 12 weeks, the results revealed that systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly lower with fresh pear consumption, compared to baseline results. These results were not seen in the group that consumed pear-flavored water.
Lead author Sarah A. Johnson said, “These initial results are very promising. With metabolic syndrome being of such high prevalence in the U.S., we feel it is important to explore the potential for functional foods such as pears to improve cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure in affected middle-aged adults.”
“Elevated systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure, which is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, are strong predictors of cardiovascular disease. Age-related vascular dysfunction has been shown to be accelerated in individuals with metabolic syndrome and contributes to these increases in blood pressure,” Johnson added.
Although additional research is required to confirm the findings on a larger scale, the study does show promise of a simple solution to improving blood pressure.
Aside from their antihypertensive properties, pears pack plenty of vitamin C and fiber, and are low in calories, which makes them an excellent source of nutrition and a healthy snack to promote overall health.
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