This morning I came across a particularly interesting study. One that I thought you might be interested in too… You see, a team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University and the University of Arizona wanted to find out more about how to lower blood pressure.

This is a topic I’m always interested in, as uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases…

But what really caught my attention was the food they were studying.

You’ve probably heard of the great health benefits of this ingredient as well…

And I’ll get to it in just a minute…

But before we dive into the study, let me first tell you about some…

Other Great High Blood Pressure Natural Remedies

I can almost hear you thinking “There’s no way you can lower blood pressure with just one food.”

And you’re absolutely right!

The truth is you can’t just eat one food and expect miracle results…

If high blood pressure is an issue you deal with, then you should let go of some bad habits, like smoking, drinking alcohol and even caffeine.

I know, I know… That’s impossible.

Not exactly impossible, but still extremely difficult. If you can’t go cold turkey right away, at least try to reduce the amount.

On top of that, you should include more than just one beneficial food into your diet.

The recommendations I have for you have different useful nutrients. And having a little bit of each will ensure a higher rate of success at keeping your blood pressure in check.

So what are they exactly?

Bananas

The potassium from bananas will help your body eliminate sodium and reduce pressure on your blood vessels. If bananas aren’t your thing (or you’re allergic, like a friend of mine), you can also get your potassium from avocados, black beans, spinach or potatoes.

Dark chocolate

Cocoa contains flavonoids that help dilate the blood vessels, which results in lower blood pressure. Besides that, dark chocolate is a great source of magnesium as well, which helps relax the blood vessels. While you shouldn’t overdo it, eating one or two squares of high cacao (~70%) dark chocolate should be enough to enjoy these heart health benefits.

Garlic

You probably remember your grandparents feeding you garlic when you got a cold. But did you know that garlic also helps thin the blood? This prevents blockages in the arteries and reduces blood pressure.

If you ask me, those are three extremely delicious treatments. But did you know that they’re also good for your health?

Now let’s get back to the main event. What’s this superfood the researchers studied?

Well… they studied walnuts!

Even before reading the article, I was sure of their conclusion. Yes, walnuts definitely do lower blood pressure.

Why was I so certain? Let me tell you…

Walnuts – The Heart Health Boosters

Walnuts are extremely appreciated by nutritionists and natural medicine practitioners.

I’m pretty sure conventional doctors are quite fond of this yummy food as well.

That’s because they’re filled with vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and healthy fats.

The high level of powerful antioxidants found in walnuts is why many people have trusted this nut to be a magic bullet for preventing heart disease.

Many previous studies have shown that walnuts have a directly beneficial effect on blood cholesterol.

And they concluded that if you eat walnuts regularly, both your LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels will drop.

Additionally, walnuts also lower apolipoprotein B levels, which is linked to coronary heart disease.

So if you’re at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, you just can’t ignore these benefits.

And with these new study findings, you’ll want to write “walnuts” on your shopping list immediately.

Speaking of the research, I should probably tell you more about it, right?

Walnuts Can Lower Your Blood Pressure (according to research)

The researchers were interested to find out if alpha-linolenic acid (abbreviated ALA) has any effect on blood pressure.

ALA is an essential omega-3 acid that’s needed for the normal growth of our bodies. It’s a recommended treatment for people with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and of course, prevention of heart disease.

And that’s why I was so excited to discover this research. Now I have new proof to offer my patients that walnuts are wonderful for your health.

The method they used in the study was to replace saturated fats in the diet with walnuts or with vegetable oils that mimic the fatty acids found in walnuts.

The goal was to see if there was a difference between eating the whole walnuts and only consuming the fatty acids.

They studied 45 people that are overweight or dealing with obesity. And 2 weeks prior to the experiment, they made some changes to their diet.

They changed their intake of saturated fats to 12%, which is the average for an American person.

Afterward, half the group replaced 5% of their saturated fats with walnuts – and the other half replaced 5% with the vegetable oils.

After six weeks of respecting this new diet, the results were exceptional.

All participants had lower central blood pressure, which is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

On top of that, the whole walnuts reduced blood pressure 11 times more than the vegetable oils.

Bottom line? Including walnuts into your diet will do a world of good.

I have to tell you that I absolutely love walnuts – they’re truly one of my favorite foods…

And you know I wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t tell you about all the other awesome advantages of eating this superfood.

Other Amazing Health Benefits of Walnuts

1. Walnuts Help with Weight Loss

Besides being a healthy alternative to saturated fats, a study proved that walnuts can also lower appetite and hunger in obese people.

Furthermore, the researchers found that walnuts actually activated specific regions of the brain related to resisting temptation.

This helped the trial subjects resist highly tempting unhealthy foods like cake and french fries.

If you’re a foodie, then you know how hard it is to respect a diet when someone next to you is eating fast food or a delicious dessert.

So, if you struggle with this issue, maybe it’s time to give walnuts a try.

2. Walnuts Boost Brain Function

You might have heard about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for the brain.

Well, what do you know! Walnuts are a great source. Especially if you don’t eat fish on a regular basis – walnuts are the next best thing.

Eating walnuts can result in faster thinking, better memory, and improved focus.

3. Walnuts Are Great For Constipation

The nourishing nuts aid the digestive system in getting rid of toxins and can be an outstanding help if you’re constipated.

They also help increase beneficial bacteria in your gut. Having a healthy gut lowers the risk of obesity, heart disease, and even cancer.

4. Walnuts Can Help Insomniacs

Introducing these melatonin-filled nuts into your diet might be the answer to your sleeping problems.

Melatonin is a hormone that your pineal gland produces to make you sleepy. If you’re suffering from insomnia, then your body probably produces less melatonin.

That’s why introducing walnuts and other sources like pomegranate and sunflower seeds is essential for getting rid of insomnia.

5. Walnuts Boost Bone Health

Walnuts are also full of copper, calcium, and phosphorus – all essential elements for strong bones.

The fatty acids that prevent heart disease can also increase calcium absorption in the body.

On top of that, walnuts also reduce inflammation, improve sperm vitality and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

They truly are superfoods, with these almost supernatural health benefits.

If you want to enrich your diet with walnuts, you can include them in a salad or eat them as a snack between meals.

I hope you’re having a great day so far, and that the research I shared with you today helps you finally tackle your high blood pressure.