High blood pressure is something you want to avoid. It increases your risk of heart disease but also kidney damage and stroke. Last week we looked in this column at how a midday nap can lower your blood pressure and now a new study has shown that eating good quality protein can also protect your heart by lowering your blood pressure via relaxing your arteries.
The study used data drawn from 2000 female twins. Each subject was investigated to establish their blood pressure and blood vessel thickness and then the results were compared to their diet. The results showed that those women who consumed the highest amounts of amino acids, components of protein, had lower blood pressure and reduced arterial thickness. However, the source of the amino acids and protein was important.
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The specific amino acids looked at in this study were arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, and tyrosine. Foods like meat, fish, dairy, beans, lentils, legumes in general, broccoli and spinach are all good protein sources. However, the greatest benefit in this study as far as blood pressure goes was found when the protein came from plant based sources. Higher intake from animal sources however, was associated with reductions in arterial stiffness.
The interesting thing additionally, was that protein intake was found to have as much impact on blood pressure as factors like salt intake, physical activity, and alcohol consumption.
The recipe then to reduce your blood pressure would include lots of legumes, broccoli, and spinach plus some fish and lean meat occasionally with a midday nap thrown in.
