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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