The study: Data were collected on 31,684 men who participated in the 18-year-long Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. At the time the men enrolled in the study, they did not have high blood pressure, cancer or heart disease and none had ever had a stroke. During the 18 years of follow-up, more than 9,200 men developed high blood pressure.
The results: The men who ate the most whole grains were 19 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure, compared with the men who ate the least amount of whole grains. Also, the men who consumed the highest amount of bran reduced their risk of developing hypertension by 15 percent, compared with the men who ate the least bran. The findings held even after the researchers adjusted their data for other healthy lifestyle and diet factors. "Whole grains as a part of a prudent, balanced diet may help promote cardiovascular health," said lead researcher Dr. Alan J. Flint. "Higher intake of whole grains was associated with a lower risk of hypertension in our cohort of over 31,000 men."
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Why do whole grains prevent high blood pressure? There are several reasons:
-- Improves insulin sensitivity
-- Reduces food intake
-- Lowers blood sugar
The authors say the findings could help in evaluating diet guidelines to help lower blood pressure. While the study focused exclusively on men, data from the Women's Health Study found similar results for women. The study findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
