A new study has shown that cherry juice reduces high blood pressure as well as drugs.
“In people who drank 60 ml of cherry concentrate diluted with water, there was a decrease in blood pressure by 7% for 3 hours. This is quite enough for a 38% reduction in the risk of stroke and a 23% decrease in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Patients who took medicine to lower blood pressure, were observed the same effect,” say the researchers from the University of Northumbria.
The study involved 15 people with signs of high blood pressure. They were divided into two groups. In the first group of volunteers were asked to drink 60 ml of cherry concentrate Montmorency”, diluted with 100 ml of water, and in the second group – drink “placebo” with a fruity aroma.
The researchers found that the participants who drank the cherry concentrate, there was a decrease in blood pressure by 7%, compared to participants who drank a placebo.
Scientists believe that tart cherry juice exerts such a strong influence on the blood pressure because it contains phenolic acids, which are natural antioxidants.
They found that the greatest improvement in blood pressure was observed when the levels of two phenolic acids – protocatechuic and vanilla acid was the highest in the blood of patients.
“High blood pressure is the leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease, but relatively small reduction can have a big impact on mortality,” said study leader Karen Keane.
The study was published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”
