It is thought around a third of all adults in the UK are living with high blood pressure, a potentially deadly medical condition. Also known as hypertension, it means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body.
This puts extra strain on the heart as well as other organs and the blood vessels and can cause damage. It is also a factor in many serious health conditions and illnesses, including heart disease, kidney disease, strokes, heart failure and heart attacks.
One of the main causes of high blood pressure is diet, with foods high in salt among those to avoid. However, certain other foods could actually have the opposite effect.
A new study revealed that regularly eating broccoli could help significantly reduce blood pressure – especially among middle-aged and older adults. More specifically, researchers from the Edith Cowan University in Australia, discovered that eating about four servings of cruciferous vegetables daily for two weeks led to a notable reduction in systolic blood pressure.
Cruciferous vegetables include veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. They are rich in compounds called glucosinolates, which break down into bioactive substances like sulforaphane when the vegetables are chopped or chewed.
Previous research has already suggested these compounds may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can improve cardiovascular health. However, study authors warned that most people are not eating enough cruciferous vegetables.
Study co-author Emma Connolly said in a university statement: “Increasing vegetable intake is widely recommended to reduce heart disease risk, and previous observational studies have shown, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, have stronger relationships with lower heart disease risk than other vegetables. However, while these vegetables are consumed globally, cruciferous vegetables typically make up a small portion of total vegetable intake.”
The study included 18 participants aged 56 to 72 years with mildly elevated blood pressure. They were put into two groups, both of which were put on a cruciferous vegetable rich diet and a control diet.
As part of the cruciferous vegetable intervention, participants consumed about 300 grams (four servings) of a mix of broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and cabbage daily for two weeks. These vegetables were served in the form of two soups – one for lunch and one for dinner.
During the control intervention, participants ate an equivalent amount of root and squash vegetables, such as potato, sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin, also in soup form. Both groups wore a blood pressure cuff that automatically measures blood pressure at regular intervals throughout the day and night.
As reported by Study Finds, after two weeks of consuming cruciferous vegetables, participants experienced an average reduction in 24-hour systolic blood pressure of 2.5 mmHg compared to the control intervention. This effect was even more pronounced during daytime hours, with an average reduction of 3.6 mmHg.
Although a decrease of 2.5 mmHg might seem small, this is actually significant in the context of cardiovascular health. Other research has shown that even minor reductions in blood pressure can lead to significant decreases in the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The study also concluded that participants who ate cruciferous vegetables had lower levels of triglycerides in their blood compared to when they consumed root and squash vegetables. Elevated triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease, so this finding suggests that cruciferous vegetables may have additional cardiovascular benefits beyond blood pressure reduction.
While the exact mechanisms behind these effects are not yet fully understood, the researchers believe that compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, such as sulforaphane and S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO), may play a role. Previous studies have shown these substances provide various beneficial effects for the cardiovascular system.
However, study authors added that: “Future research is needed to determine whether targeted recommendations for increasing cruciferous vegetable intake benefits population health.”
To lower your blood pressure the NHS recommends you:
- Have a healthy, balanced diet
- Exercise regularly – aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week
- Lose weight if you’re overweight