Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when blood pressure against the vessel walls remains persistently high. Normal blood pressure is 120/90. However, hypertension (blood pressure above 140/90) can cause serious complications such as heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure is dangerous because it often has no obvious symptoms. The condition can be managed with medication, exercise, and a low-fat diet. Certain foods and drinks may help manage hypertension and control blood pressure. New research has shown that hypertension patients may benefit from eating flavonoid-rich foods such as blueberries and strawberries. These compounds’ vasodilatory effects are responsible for the benefit.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the study. It was entitled “Habitual intake of Flavonoid Subclasses and Incident Hypertension in Adults”. Researchers analysed data from over 15,000 women and 2343 men from three studies to create the study. Based on the responses, the researchers examined the intake of flavonoids in the participants and subclasses. The participants were monitored for 14 years. During this time, there were 29,018 cases in women of high blood pressure and 5,629 in men. According to the study, “…participants who ate the most anthocyanin (mostly blueberries and strawberries) showed a 8% decrease in hypertension …”.

The researchers found that tea, orange juice, strawberries, and apples were the top food and beverages that contributed to a daily intake of flavonoids. According to the study report, Flavon-3-ols were mainly consumed from tea. Blueberries and strawberries were the main sources of anthocyanins. Flavanone and flavone intakes were primarily derived from citrus fruits. Researchers concluded that, although research supports the hypothesis that flavonoids have anti-hypertensive qualities, more research could be done. More studies could examine the optimal daily intake of anthocyanin-rich foods to prevent hypertension.

John T. Harris