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Three glasses of red wine a week can help lower blood pressure, study finds.
Higher consumption of foods rich in flavonoids, including berries, apples, tea and red wine, has been linked to lower blood pressure according to analyzes from Queen’s University Belfast and the University from Kiel in Germany.
Moderation is key, with researchers finding that around three glasses of red wine per week is optimal, while for berries the suggested amount is 80g per day.
The study focused on how microbes in the gut break down the flavonoids in these foods and drinks, which in turn leads to lower blood pressure.
“Our gut microbiome plays a key role in the metabolism of flavonoids to enhance their cardioprotective effects, and this study provides evidence to suggest that these hypotensive effects are achievable with simple modifications to the daily diet,” said lead researcher, the professor Aedin Cassidy.
The analysis involved more than 900 participants in Germany.
Previous research has shown that flavonoids can improve heart health, but the researchers said this was the first time their link to lowering blood pressure had been explained.
The results of the study were published in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association.
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