Yogurt Lowers Risk of High Blood Pressure

Dairy has long been seen as a management tool for blood pressure, and overall heart health. Yogurt in particular has a variety of health benefits from being nutrient dense, to offering low- or non-fat options, and low caloric intake. But now, there is a new reason to love yogurt:  a new study reports that yogurt lowers the risk of high blood pressure.

This study, released at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Meeting, followed nearly 2,200 participants, none of which had high blood pressure at the start of the study. Participants were required to take a “food-frequency” questionnaire to establish eating habits, and learn if yogurt was already a part of their diet. 14 years later, a follow-up was done. The findings indicated that a little over 900 of the participants had developed hypertension. However, yogurt intake had also risen, and participants bringing in more than 2% of their daily caloric intake from yogurt, showed no signs of hypertension.

These findings have reinforced the knowledge that low-fat dairy products play an important role in the management and reduction of blood pressure. It is recommended that adults take in 2-3 servings of low- or non-fat dairy daily. One cup of yogurt gives you a portion of this total daily value, and provides you with a tasty, heart-healthy option.

Sources: Times of India - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Eating-yogurt-lowers-high-BP-risk/articleshow/16473567.cms WebMD - http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20120919/sesame-and-rice-bran-oil-yogurt-blood-pressure MedPage Today - http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Hypertension/34859