Researchers from the University of Navarra in Pamplona have found that an increased intake of vegetable protein and cereal fibre could cut the risk of hypertension by up to 50 percent.
To examine the effects of cereal fibre and vegetable protein, researchers enrolled nearly 6000 university students in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) study.
Dietary data was obtained at the start of the study with validated 136-item food frequency questionnaires.
After 28 months of follow-up, 180 subjects reported that they had been medically diagnosed with hypertension.
After adjustment for potential confounders such as age, sex, BMI, smoking, intakes of sodium, caffeine, magnesium, potassium, low-fat dairy and several other variables, the researchers found that people in the highest intake group of vegetable protein had an associated 50 per cent lower risk of hypertension that those in the lowest intake group.
Fibre from cereals was also associated with a protective effect � the highest intake was linked to a 40 per cent reduction in hypertension that the lowest cereal fibre intake group.
Further research is needed to determine if the protective effects observed from vegetable protein intake are related to potassium and magnesium intake, which are minerals linked to vegetable protein but can also directly affect blood pressure.
To examine the effects of cereal fibre and vegetable protein, researchers enrolled nearly 6000 university students in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) study.
Dietary data was obtained at the start of the study with validated 136-item food frequency questionnaires.
After 28 months of follow-up, 180 subjects reported that they had been medically diagnosed with hypertension.
After adjustment for potential confounders such as age, sex, BMI, smoking, intakes of sodium, caffeine, magnesium, potassium, low-fat dairy and several other variables, the researchers found that people in the highest intake group of vegetable protein had an associated 50 per cent lower risk of hypertension that those in the lowest intake group.
Fibre from cereals was also associated with a protective effect � the highest intake was linked to a 40 per cent reduction in hypertension that the lowest cereal fibre intake group.
Further research is needed to determine if the protective effects observed from vegetable protein intake are related to potassium and magnesium intake, which are minerals linked to vegetable protein but can also directly affect blood pressure.
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