You could be living with a potentially dangerous health condition without even realising – but here’s one breakfast that could help.
It is thought one in three Brits are living with high blood pressure, although many may not even realise. This is because it is what is often referred to as a “silent killer”, typically remaining symptomless.
If your blood pressure becomes too high it can be dangerous due to the raised risk of heart attacks, strokes, aneurysms and other medical emergencies. Therefore, any steps you can take to naturally lower it is vital.
Diet has a major influence on your blood pressure. Eating too much salt, for example, is one of the main causes of hypertension.
However, you can also choose to eat foods that have the opposite effect. This includes a simple but tasty three-ingredient meal ideal for breakfast – overnight oats.
Combining oats, yoghurt and berries in a pot and leaving them until the morning will not only be filling and delicious but could see your blood pressure reading drop. All three ingredients are known to have blood pressure-lowering properties.
Oats
Oats are packed with a type of fibre called beta-glucan, which has been shown to improve blood pressure levels. One study, published in the Journal of Food Biochemistry in 2020, found that beta-glucan was partly responsible for reducing malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress in rats with high blood pressure.
Medical News Today reported: “These results suggest that ingredients present in oats can help prevent high blood pressure and protect heart health in other ways. However, further research on human subjects is necessary.”
Yoghurt
A 2021 study from the International Dairy Journal showed that participants with high blood pressure who consumed more yoghurt had lower systolic blood pressure and lower arterial pressure than those who did not.
However, it is best to select natural or unsweetened yoghurt for the health benefits.
Berries
Berries such as blueberries and strawberries are packed full of antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid. A review published in Nutrients journal in 2019 linked higher anthocyanin consumption to reduced blood pressure.
If you are concerned about your blood pressure you should speak to your GP.
