Nuts may help lower blood pressure

High blood pressure also known as hypertension happens when blood pushes too strongly against the walls of the arteries.  It is often called a “silent killer” because many people have no clear symptoms and may not know they have it.

The good news is that adding a tasty and nutritious food to your diet may help reduce the risk

Nuts may help protect against high blood pressure

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating nuts regularly may be linked to a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

Researchers analyzed data from eight studies involving more than 143,000 people between the ages of 18 and 87.

More than 20,000 participants had been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

The researchers looked at people’s eating habits and how they were linked to their risk of hypertension.

How many nuts should you eat?

The results suggested that eating nuts such as almonds walnuts and pistachios may help lower the risk of high blood pressure.

According to the study, eating a small amount of nuts regularly was linked to a lower risk. About 28 grams of nuts per day was associated with a reduction of up to 20% in the risk. The researchers also found that eating around 30 grams of nuts daily was linked to a 26% lower risk.

However eating more than this amount did not appear to provide additional benefits for blood pressure.

Why are nuts good for blood pressure?

Nuts contain several important nutrients including

•Healthy fats

•Fiber

•Magnesium

•Potassium

•Vitamin E

•Protein

•B vitamins

These nutrients may help support healthy blood pressure. For example magnesium may help relax blood vessels while potassium can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure can rise when the arteries become narrow or less flexible.  This can make it harder for blood to flow normally.

If high blood pressure continues for a long time it can damage blood vessels and important organs including the heart brain eyes and kidneys.

It can also increase the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease heart attacks and strokes.

How can you control blood pressure?

High blood pressure is very common around the world including in Pakistan.

Getting your blood pressure checked regularly can help detect the problem early.

It can often be managed with medication regular physical activity a healthy diet maintaining a healthy weight and other lifestyle changes.

Adding nuts to your diet may be helpful but they should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle and should not replace prescribed blood pressure treatment.