If you’re keen to reduce your risk of heart disease, then it might be worth switching up what you have for breakfast…
Because new research published on 15 February in the American Journal of Hypertension has revealed that people with high blood pressure who eat more yoghurt may have a lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
High blood pressure or hypertension can increase your risk of a number of health issues, including heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
A team from Boston University concluded this after analysing data from over 70,000 adults with high blood pressure taken from two large US studies.
Overall, the team concluded that both men and women with hypertension who ate more than two servings of yoghurt per week had roughly a 20% lower chance of going on to develop cardiovascular disease.
‘We hypothesised that long-term yoghurt intake might reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems since some previous small studies had shown beneficial effects of fermented dairy products,’ explained one of the paper’s authors, Justin Buendia, in a release.
‘Here, we had a very large cohort of hypertensive men and women, who were followed for up to 30 years.
‘Our results provide important new evidence that yoghurt may benefit heart health alone, or as a consistent part of a diet rich in fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.’
If you’re looking to add more yoghurt to your diet, remember that it can be far more versatile than you’d think. Try using it as a healthier substitute for heavier creams in a variety of dishes, both savoury and sweet, such as this low-cal broad bean and pea falafel recipe.
