A new study said that fruits and vegetables are an important part of hypertension treatment. The study highlights that diets that are high in these foods can help to lower blood pressure levels, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and also help to improve kidney health. The study was published in The American Journal of Medicine and the results findings were from a five-year interventional randomized control trial.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension is a condition which affects the arteries of the body. When an individual has high blood pressure, the force of the blood that is pushing against the walls of the arteries is high. This eventually makes the heart work harder and in the long term can affect heart health. In general, hypertension is a blood pressure reading of 130/80 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) or higher.

Despite efforts to improve hypertension treatment with pharmacological strategies, hypertension-related chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular mortality are rising. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for patients with chronic kidney disease.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is recommended as the first-line treatment for primary hypertension. However, it is often under-prescribed and under-implemented, despite supporting data. Diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower blood pressure, reduced chronic kidney disease progression, and decreased cardiovascular disease risk and mortality.

Donald E Wesson from Dell Medical School, The University of Texas, “Our patient studies showed that an acid-producing diet (high in animal products) is harmful to kidneys, while a base-producing diet (high in fruits and vegetables) is beneficial. We hypothesized that fruits and vegetables are both kidney- and heart-healthy because they reduce dietary acid.”

For the study, the researchers analysed hypertensive patients with macroalbuminuria which is a marker of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk. Participants were divided into three groups; one adding 2-4 cups of fruits and vegetables to their daily diet, another taking sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) tablets and a control group receiving standard medical care.

Results showed that both fruits and vegetables and NaHCO3 improved kidney health, but only fruits and vegetables reduced blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. Co-investigator Maninder Kahlon, PhD, noted, “Fruits and vegetables achieved these benefits with lower doses of medication, supporting their use as a foundational treatment for hypertension.”

Dr Wesson said that dietary interventions for chronic disease management are effective and should be prioritised. He added, “We must increase efforts to incorporate healthy diets into patient management and make them more accessible to at-risk populations.”

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