High blood pressure plagues slightly more than a quarter of the world’s adult population, and the numbers are expected to increase. How can people manage their blood pressure? Are pills the answer? The best solution may lie in your refrigerator’s crisper.
Previous work showed the relationship between diet and blood pressure. A diet rich in vegetables and fruit produced lower blood pressure readings, but the studies did not differentiate between cooked and raw vegetables. The cooking process alters the chemical composition and nutritional value of vegetables.
A recent study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, which was led by scientists at the School of Public Health, Imperial College London, examined the impact of raw and cooked vegetables on blood pressure.
Blood pressure is the measure of the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system and represented as a fraction. The top number—systolic— measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. The lower number—diastolic— measures the pressure in the arteries between heart beats. The study defined high blood pressure as a systolic blood pressure of 140 millimeters of Mercury (mm Hg) or higher and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher.
The study examined 12 commonly consumed raw vegetables— cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, garlic, ginger, green pepper, lettuce, onions, scallions, and tomatoes—and cooked vegetables—broccoli, carrots, celery, green beans, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, green peas, scallions, tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauces.
The study found that blood pressure decreased with the consumption of either raw or cooked vegetables. When taking body mass index (BMI) into account, consuming cooked vegetables lowered blood pressure by 0. 9 mm Hg, and raw vegetables lowered blood pressure by 1. 3 mm Hg. Tomatoes, carrots, and scallions were the raw vegetables responsible for the greatest impact on blood pressure. Tomatoes, peas, celery, and scallions were the cooked vegetables with the greatest impact on blood pressure.
The relationship between plant foods and the human system are still largely a mystery. However, this study continues to support that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, whether they are cooked or raw, are healthful and lead to lower blood pressure. The study included a diverse group of 2,195 women and men who closely monitored their food intake during the study period. The researchers found that age and gender did not yield significant results. The study results are limited for age group 40-59 due to lack of data.
Journal of Human Hypertension (2014) 28, 353–359; doi:10.1038/jhh.2013.115; published online 21 November 2013
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