This Bread Drops Blood Pressure Significantly

A new study by a multinational team of Cleveland Clinic researchers published in the November 2016 edition of the Journal of Nutrition proves that a specific type of bread significantly lowers diastolic blood pressure.

Diastolic blood pressure is the lower number of 120/80 and is much harder to manage than the systolic (higher number).

Not just that, eating this bred lowers your risk of heart disease by 33 percent and your risk of a stroke by 40 percent.

Researchers recruited 33 overweight volunteers, average age 39, who were free from cardiovascular diseases.

They were divided into two groups. For the first eight weeks, group 1 received refined grains while group 2 were given whole grains. The rest of their diets were identical.

The second stage of the study involved a washout period during which both groups returned to eating whatever grains and other food they liked.

During the third stage, each group was given the opposite type of grain than they ate during the first eight weeks of the study, while the rest of their food was once again identical.

At the beginning of each stage, the researchers tested their blood pressure, cholesterol, body composition, and markers of inflammation.

They found the following:

1. Both groups experienced a significant drop in cholesterol and body fat content, probably because their diets were carefully controlled. Their scores were identical on these measures.

2. The diastolic blood pressure of the whole grain group dropped by an average of 5.8 mm Hg, while the refined grained group saw a reduction of only 1.6 mm Hg. Their systolic pressure dropped, but there was no difference between the groups.

3. Compared to the whole grain group, the refined grain group showed a large reduction of the protein called adiponectin. This protein is produced by fat cells to clear fat and sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream. Researchers think it protects against widespread inflammation, so the more of it you have, the healthier you are.

From these findings, the Cleveland Clinic concluded that whole grains could reduce your risk of heart disease by 33 percent and your risk of a stroke by 40 percent.

Be aware, however, that only 100% whole grain bread benefits you. The typical “whole grain” bread in supermarkets often contains less than 50% whole grains.

But whole grain bread is not enough to completely cure your high blood pressure, for that, you need the 3 easy blood pressure exercises found here…