Popular drink ‘lowers blood pressure and slashes risk of heart attack and stroke’

According to a study, JUST one glass of fruit juice a day could help lower deadly high blood pressure.

The condition causes few symptoms and can therefore go undetected for years. However, over time, it can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.

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Because poor diet, lifestyle, and stress are thought to increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, doctors often prescribe lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on salt and alcohol, eating more fruits and vegetables, and getting more exercise.

Now, a new study from the University of Toronto found that drinking moderate amounts of fruit juice every day can help lower blood pressure.

Blood Pressure UK warned that up to two-thirds of Britons under the age of 50 could be living with undiagnosed hypertension, as the disease is known.

Poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles have led to more and more people contracting this disease as early as the age of 30. So the charity urged adults of all ages to have their blood pressure checked regularly.

High blood pressure often doesn’t cause any obvious symptoms, so getting tested is important to spot the silent killer.

The Toronto research team analyzed data from 93 previous studies examining 12 different sugary foods to understand how dietary habits affect blood pressure.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: systolic pressure – the force with which your heart contracts as it pumps blood around your body – and diastolic pressure, the pressure during the rest period between heartbeats.

According to NHS guidelines, the ideal blood pressure is normally between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg, while the target for people over 80 is below 150/90 mmHg.

The report, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that moderate consumption of fruit juices with natural sugars resulted in an average “small, important reduction” in systolic blood pressure of 3.7 mmHg.

In contrast, consumption of beverages with added sugar – such as soda – led to an average increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.9 mmHg.

Researchers found that just a small glass of fruit juice was enough Advantages visible in the long term – between 50 and 150 ml taken daily.

They hypothesize that the protective effects of pure fruit juice on blood pressure are likely due to the nutrients and bio-compounds found in fruit.

According to the study, eating whole fruits, which also contain fiber, had even greater benefits.

The findings show that public health guidelines designed to help people prevent and treat high blood pressure should differentiate between natural and added sugars, the report said.

Lead author Professor John Sievenpiper said: “Our research shows that moderate consumption of 100% fruit juice, which contains only natural sugars, has a beneficial effect on blood pressure.”

“The available evidence provides good evidence that low doses of fruit and pure fruit juice produce small, important reductions in blood pressure.”

Health ministers recently gave the green light to a huge expansion of the NHS’s free blood pressure check scheme, announcing that local community facilities such as hairdressers, supermarkets and mosques could offer the life-saving tests in addition to pharmacies and GPs.