Under current living conditions, 59 million Americans have pre-hypertension and one in three adults in the United States is actually affected by hypertension. If there is a field of health in which dietetics can be really effective, it is the cardiovascular sphere and more precisely hypertension.

So if you have been diagnosed with hypertension, it is urgent and crucial to implement dietary reform. Recent research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics demonstrates the power of nutrition, especially a delicious little blue berry: the blueberry.

The hypertension phenomenon particularly affects menopausal women. This is usually accompanied by arterial stiffness, which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. A population of women in this life span to consume the equivalent amount of one cup of fresh blueberries in the form of freeze-dried blueberry powder.

Another group from the same population of women received the equivalent amount of a placebo

Spectacular results followed. At the end of the study, women who had consumed the blueberry powder had 5% lower systolic blood pressure (higher number) and 6% lower diastolic blood pressure (lower number) compared with the group that received the placebo powder.

Another measure was nitric oxide. It is a protective molecule for blood vessels naturally present in the blood. If the vessel walls are protected, there is an inevitable reduction in the blood pressure. Nitric oxide levels were significantly higher in the ladies who consumed the milberry powder. According to the study authors, this increase in nitric oxide, a direct result of milberry consumption, reduces both arterial stiffness and tension.

Blueberries are good for the heart, but how much?

It is already known that colored berries are among the healthiest and most antioxidant foods. The blueberries that are part of it contain low amounts of sugar, lots of fiber and many antioxidant and protective principles.

In the previous research, it appeared that ladies who ate more than 3 servings of blueberries (and strawberries) had a 32% reduction in the risk of heart attack. These benefits are linked to bioflavonoids, antioxidant principles contained in these fruits, whose name you certainly know: anthocyanins. It is these pigments that give the fruits their beautiful red, dark mauve or purple colors that characterize them.

These anthocyanins are well known for the protection they provide against the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques on the endothelial tissue (inner wall) of the arteries. These plaques that obstruct circulation and reduce the diameter of arteries promote hypertension.

Another research has demonstrated the potential of these antioxidants to reduce inflammation (which favors the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques) and their beneficial action on the contraction force of capillary walls.

The general conclusion of these epidemiological studies is that regular and sufficient consumption of anthocyanins significantly reduces the risk of diseases cardiovascularThis is one of the most important causes of death for both men and women, and is becoming increasingly common at a younger age.

Even though regular consumption of fruit is beneficial for health, most of them are very high in sugar which is deleterious for the circulatory system and high blood pressure. This is the whole point of consuming blueberries which are very low in sugar, but very rich in antioxidant principles.

Let us recall that the sugar, the fructose So not only whole fruits, but also sodas, fruit juices and corn syrup and the industrial food that Americans are so fond of, are all risk factors for the cardiovascular system.

While a daily handful of colorful berries loaded with anthocyanins is so tasty, protective and beneficial to your health.

It's worth thinking about, isn't it?