Conducted in partnership with the University of Maine, the study by the University of South Australia examined the associations between yogurt intake, blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors, finding that yogurt is associated with lower blood pressure for those with hypertension.
Globally, more than a billion people suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure), putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as heart attack and stroke. CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide - in the United States, one person dies from CVD every 36 seconds; in Australia, it's every 12 minutes.
UniSA researcher Dr. Alexandra Wade said that this study provided new evidence that connected yogurt with positive blood pressure outcomes for hypertensive people. "High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so it's important that we continue to find ways to reduce and regulate it," Dr Wade said.
"Dairy foods, especially yogurt, may be capable of reducing blood pressure. This is because dairy foods contain a range of micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure." Wade added.
"yogurt is especially interesting because it also contains bacteria that promotes the release of proteins which lowers blood pressure. This study showed for people with elevated blood pressure, even small amounts of yogurt were associated with lower blood pressure," Wade explained.