Cherry juice has been touted in the natural health industry as an elixir for inflammation, gout, and other health issues.
But, a recent study has shown that a specific type of cherry juice has shown promise as being as good as medication for lowering blood pressure.
This is a big deal because blood pressure medication is one of the most prescribed medications and many times doctors will put a patient on one after a single blood pressure reading or two.
While sometimes blood pressure medication is necessary, attempts at naturally lowering blood pressure should be tried before committing to the risk of medication.
In this recent article from News Target, they highlight a recent study showing a specific kind of cherry juice may be as good as prescription blood pressure medication:
“Montmorency cherry juice shown to be as effective at reducing high blood pressure as medication
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 by Greg White
If you’re looking for another reason to drink cherry juice, look no further. A new study from Northumbria University, Newcastle, found that Montmorency cherry juice is just as effective at lowering high blood pressure as medication.
The results of the study, published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, discovered that men with early hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, reduced their blood pressure by 7 percent after drinking Montmorency cherry concentrate, which is comparable to the effect achieved by drugs.
A spike in phenolic acids means a reduction in high blood pressure
The research participants had a blood pressure reading of a minimum of 130/90 mmHg, and received either 60 ml, around two ounces, of cherry juice or a placebo cherry-flavored beverage. Blood pressure and blood samples were taken before the cherry drinks were consumed and again on an hourly basis afterwards. Approximately 15 people participated in the study.
The volunteers who consumed the cherry concentrate experienced a peak reduction in their blood pressure of 7 mmHg three hours after they drank the beverage. Participants who had the highest blood pressure reaped the most benefits from the cherry juice. The decrease in blood pressure was sufficient to reduce the risk of stroke by 38 percent or heart disease by 23 percent.
The researchers attribute the decrease in blood pressure to a naturally occurring antioxidant present in cherry juice known as phenolic acids. When monitoring the volunteers, the researchers discovered that the greatest drop in blood pressure occurred when two phenolic acids, protocatechuic and vanillic acid, were at their highest levels in the patients’ blood. The researchers suspect the compounds are, at least in part, responsible for reducing high blood pressure.”
While this recent study is very promising, keep in mind that it was a very small study and more larger studies should be organized in order to get a better idea of how well this cherry juice can work. To find out more about how to mitigate your risk for cardiovascular disease, check out the full article over on News Target
Photo By Elahe Dastgheib