A five-year study has shown that eating fruits and vegetables can greatly benefit people with hypertension.
Doctors recommend making these foods a key part of treatment for hypertension, as they help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve kidney health.
The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, involved 153 patients with high blood pressure but not diabetes.
These patients also had very high levels of a protein called albumin in their urine, a sign of chronic kidney disease and a high risk of heart problems.
Participants were divided into three groups:
- One group added 2-4 cups of fruits and vegetables to their daily diet.
- The second group took sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) tablets twice a day.
- The third group received standard medical care.
Results showed that both the fruits and vegetables group and the baking soda group experienced improved kidney health. However, only the fruits and vegetables group saw reduced blood pressure and improved heart health indicators. This means that while both methods helped the kidneys, only the fruits and vegetables had the added benefit of lowering blood pressure and reducing heart disease risk.
Dr. Donald E. Wesson, the lead investigator from Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, explained that a diet high in fruits and vegetables helps the kidneys by reducing the amount of acid they need to filter out. Animal studies had previously shown that long-term exposure to an acid-producing diet (high in animal products) can harm the kidneys. In contrast, a base-producing diet (high in fruits and vegetables) is beneficial.
Dr. Maninder Kahlon, a co-investigator from the same institution, emphasized that the benefits of fruits and vegetables came with lower doses of blood pressure medication. This means patients can achieve better health with fewer drugs by eating more fruits and vegetables.
The researchers recommend that doctors start treating hypertension with dietary changes first and then add medications if necessary. This approach can provide kidney and heart protection while reducing reliance on medications.
Dr. Wesson pointed out that dietary interventions are often overlooked in managing chronic diseases due to challenges in getting patients to follow them. However, this study shows that such interventions are effective and beneficial. He urged for increased efforts to incorporate healthy diets into patient care and make these diets more accessible to those at risk for kidney and heart diseases.
Finally, the research team advises people with hypertension to ask their doctors to measure their urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) to check for underlying kidney disease and higher risk of heart disease. This simple test can help identify patients who would benefit the most from dietary changes.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the harm of vitamin D deficiency, and Mediterranean diet may preserve brain volume in older adults.
For more health information, please see recent studies about foods to naturally lower high blood pressure, and a simple breakfast switch can help control type 2 diabetes.
