Adding fruits and vegetables to diet can lower blood pressure, improve kidney health
A new study highlights the benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables in lowering blood pressure and improving kidney and heart health.
In short
- A diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers blood pressure and improves kidney health
- The DASH diet is effective for treating high blood pressure but is underutilized
- Study shows fruits and vegetables provide benefits with lower drug doses
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been found to lower blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular risk, and improve kidney health.
A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine sheds light on this.
Despite ongoing efforts to treat hypertension with medications, cases of chronic kidney disease and heart disease related to hypertension are on the rise. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for patients with chronic kidney disease.
The DASH diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, is known to lower blood pressure and is recommended as the primary treatment for hypertension. However, it is often under-prescribed and underused despite strong evidence supporting its benefits.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of chronic kidney disease, and a decreased chance of cardiovascular disease and death.
Previous animal studies have shown that a diet rich in animal products (acid-producing) can damage the kidneys, while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (alkali-producing) is healthier for the kidneys.
Human studies found similar results. They hypothesized that fruits and vegetables are beneficial for both the kidney and heart because they reduce dietary acids.
To test this, a five-year study was conducted with 153 participants who had high blood pressure and very high levels of urinary albumin excretion, which indicates a high risk of chronic kidney disease and heart disease. The participants were divided into three groups:
- People who included 2-4 cups of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet.
- Those who took sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) tablets twice a day.
- who received standard medical care.
- The study found that both fruits and vegetables and NaHCO3 improve kidney health. However, only fruits and vegetables lower blood pressure and improve heart disease risk indicators.
Co-investigator Dr. Maninder Kahlon said these benefits from fruits and vegetables are achieved at lower doses of medication, making them more effective treatment options.
The team recommends starting high blood pressure treatment with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and adding medications as needed.
Dr. Wesson emphasized the importance of dietary interventions for managing chronic diseases, noting their effectiveness in protecting kidney and heart health. He called for greater efforts to incorporate healthy diets into patient care and make them more accessible.
The researchers also recommend that patients with hypertension ask their doctors to measure urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) to check for underlying kidney disease and increased cardiovascular risk.
