The results suggested that eating more nuts was associated with a lower risk of hypertension. (Image: Getty)
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects around 1.4 billion people worldwide and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. While diet is just one part of maintaining healthy blood pressure, certain foods have been linked with better cardiovascular health, and a small daily snack could be good news for your heart. Eating a handful of nuts each day has been linked with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure, according to new research involving more than 143,000 people.
According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating a handful of nuts each day may help lower your risk of developing high blood pressure by 20%. The research, published last month, analysed eight prospective studies and found that each additional 28g serving of nuts consumed per day was associated with a 20% lower risk of developing hypertension.
Nuts are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats. (Image: Getty)
The researchers found that consuming around 30g of nuts a day was associated with a 26% lower risk of developing high blood pressure compared with eating no nuts.
In the abstract, the study states: “In this meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, we found further evidence for a reduced risk of hypertension with higher intake of nuts. These findings support dietary guideline recommendations to include a serving of nuts per day.”
Choose unsalted and non roasted options. According to Heart UK, some good choices include walnuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, macadamias, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, or peanuts.
At Tesco, a 25g packet of Mixed Nuts & Pecans costs 80p, while Aldi‘s 200g Mixed Nuts works out at £1.75 and ASDA‘s 200g Nut Mix is priced at £1.98. At Superdrug, a 35g pack of mixed nuts cost just 70p.
Nuts contain a combination of nutrients that may help support cardiovascular health, including unsaturated fats, fibre, minerals and plant compounds. However, the researchers stressed that the analysis was based on observational studies, which means it identified an association rather than establishing cause and effect.
According to the latest figures, around 16 million people in the UK are estimated to have high blood pressure but almost five million of them don’t know they have it. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. There are usually no symptoms, so you may not realise you have it.
The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked. Things that increase your chances of having high blood pressure include age, having an unhealthy diet and particularly one that is high in salt, being overweight, drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and having close relatives with high blood pressure. Being under stress for a long period of time can also contribute to raised blood pressure. Lifestyle changes and blood pressure medicines can help you stay healthy.
The findings add to growing evidence that nuts can form part of a healthy diet, but they should not be viewed as a treatment for hypertension. Keeping salt intake under control, eating a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are all important for blood pressure.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
