Some Fruits and Vegetables May Better Treat Hypertension than Others
Hypertension is very prevalent in the U.S. and
worldwide. The condition can increase the risk for
stroke and heart disease. Many American
adults have hypertension, and it is not
under control for a large number of these adults.
Hypertension usually has no symptoms, so the only
way to determine if a person has hypertension is
by measuring their blood pressure. A number of
diets that emphasize fruits and vegetables have
been found to lower blood pressure. However, not a
lot of attention has been paid to determining
which fruits and vegetables, and which
combinations of fruits and vegetables are most
beneficial. And a recent study
set out to do just that.
The study was a meta-analysis where the databases
PubMed and Embase were searched for relevant
studies, by the researchers, using search terms
that contained the keywords “fruits,”
“vegetables,” and "hypertension." The
researchers ended the search on May 15th 2022. The
researchers extracted a total of 17566 articles.
And after an exhaustive selection process, the
researchers concluded that 18 studies met the
inclusion criteria. Some of the elements of the
criteria were relevance, case-control, the
availability of full text rather than just the
abstract, and how the title described the study.
Hypertension was the outcome of most of the
studies. And most of the studies used the
following hypertension guidelines: SBP ≥140 mm Hg
and/or DBP ≥ 90 mm Hg, or SBP ≥ 135 mm Hg and/or
DBP ≥85 mm Hg.” Some studies used a medical
diagnosis of hypertension or a prescription for
hypertension medication as a guideline. If a
subject’s SBP was ≥130 mm Hg, and/or the DBP
≥85 mm Hg, that subject was deemed to have
elevated blood pressure
The researchers
concluded that the results of this
meta-analysis support dietary advice to increase
the consumption of fruit and vegetables as part of
strategies to prevent hypertension. The results
show that a high intake of fruits and vegetables
combined and total fruits, but not total
vegetables, was associated with a lower risk of
hypertension.
A daily intake of up to 800 grams of a combination
of fruits and vegetables was associated linearly
with hypertension prevention. And for some
specific fruits and vegetables, such as
cantaloupe, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts, there
was an associated increased risk of hypertension,
while apples, pears, avocado, blueberries, raisins
or grapes, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, and onions
appeared to lower the risk. Of course, more
studies are needed to ferret out specific fruits
and vegetables that are the most helpful in the
treatment of hypertension.
Healthcare providers might want to investigate
this study and other studies on diet to help the
patient decide on the best diet to follow for
hypertension.
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