High blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to serious health problems if left untreated, such as heart attacks and strokes. Blood pressure can be lowered by making dietary changes, including cutting down on salt and foods high in saturated fat. As well as cutting down on unhealthy foods, it may be worth adding foods to your diet that have properties which can help to improve blood vessel function and reduce blood pressure. One snack which has been shown in certain studies to help lower blood pressure, is yoghurt.
According to dietitian Juliette Kellow, a landmark study in the late 1990s found that adding low-fat dairy to a diet rich in fruit and vegetables lowered blood pressure more than fruit and vegetables alone.
Further research since has backed up the link, and shown that “yoghurt in particular has impressive results”, said Kellow.
According to the dietitian, eating yoghurt five times a week can lead to a 20 per cent drop in the risk of developing high blood pressure, compared with eating yoghurt once a month.
Medical website webmd also noted a 2016 study in women which showed eating yoghurt helped to keep blood pressure in check.
Yoghurt is a good source of potassium, a mineral also found in many fruits and vegetables, which has been proven to help lower blood pressure.
Potassium works with the kidneys to balance the level of salt in the body. This is important as salt is a common contributor to high blood pressure.
The function of the kidneys is to control the amount of fluid in the body, which in turn controls blood pressure, as the more fluid in the body, the higher your blood pressure.
The kidneys work by filtering the blood and sucking out any extra fluid, which they then store in the bladder as urine.
“This process uses a delicate balance of sodium and potassium to pull the water across a wall of cells from the bloodstream into a collecting channel that leads to the bladder,” said Blood Pressure UK.
Eating salt raises the amount of sodium in the bloodstream, which wrecks the balance, reducing the ability of the kidneys to remove water.
But, consuming more potassium will increase the levels of the mineral in the body, which will help to restore the balance.
“Packed with gut-friendly probiotics as well as protein, calcium and phosphorus, yoghurt’s longevity benefits lie in its protective powers,” said Kellow.
“Studies have shown that yoghurt can help counter many of the health problems associated with getting older, such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis and unwanted weight gain.”
When it comes to choosing which type of yoghurt to eat, Kellow notes all types of yoghurt are a great source of protein and calcium, but different types contain other benefits.
Regular yoghurt, which is made from whole milk, usually contains the most nutrients. It has good levels of calcium which is vital for strong bones and helping prevent osteoporosis.
It is higher in saturated fat, however, which is not so good for people with high blood pressure.
Fat-free or low-fat yoghurt is the lowest in calories, fat and saturated fat, so is the best choice for weight management, blood pressure and heart health.