About Me

My photo
Blog author, Solai Buchanan is an experienced Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with an MS from Columbia Teachers College. She specializes in treating heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome,and other chronic diseases. She is a provider at a full-service cardiology practice accepting most insurance and staffed with a primary care MD, pediatrician, and cardiologist. Call: 718.894.7907. NYCC is lead by Interventional Cardiologist Sanjeev Palta, MD, FSCAI, FACC. He trained at Cornell-Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and the State University Hospital of Brooklyn. He currently is an Attending Cardiologist at New York Methodist Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Having performed over 2000 invasive cardiac procedures Dr. Palta’s patients know they are in trusted hands.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

A DAILY CUP OF BLUEBERRIES REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE

Here's one more reason to top that morning cereal with blueberries.  A new trial has found  daily consumption of blueberries helps to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness.  Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of 40 postmenopausal women ages 45-65 with high blood pressure. Half ate 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder, equivalent to a cup of blueberries, daily for eight weeks. The other half consumed an identical-looking and tasting placebo.

At the end of the eight weeks, participants receiving the blueberry powder had an average 7 mmHg (5.1%) decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number in the blood pressure reading which measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats) and a 5 mmHg (6.3%) reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number that measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats).  Levels of nitric oxide, known to be involved in relaxing and widening blood vessels, increased 68% in the blueberry eaters. There were no significant changes in blood pressure in the placebo group.

What to do:  Include more blueberries and other dark purple fruits and vegetables in your diet.  Beets, cherries, pomegranates, cranberries, grapes, acai, and others have been found to have positive effects on blood pressure and heart health.  Blueberries have long been championed for their high antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory properties. They’re only 80 calories a cup and are high in fiber, vitamin C, and manganese.   Put fresh, frozen, or dried blueberries in hot and cold cereals, smoothies, and yogurt, or have them as a stand alone snack. 

Adapted from articles available at:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Blueberries-could-lower-blood-pressure-RCT-data
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/14/blueberries-may-lower-blood-pressure/?_r=0
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150108113525.htm

Source:

Johnson SA, Figueroa A, et al. Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre­ and stage 1­hypertension: A randomized, double­blind, placebo­controlled clinical trial.  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015.   Published online ahead of print, DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2014.11.001

No comments:

Post a Comment