Eating flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries, apples, pears, and wine, can have a ‘positive effect’ on blood pressure levels, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Hypertension, showed that up to 15.2 percent of the association between flavonoid-rich foods and systolic blood pressure could be explained by the diversity found in participants’ gut microbiome – the bacteria found in the digestive tract.
- Eating 1.6 servings of berries per day (one serving equals 80 grams) saw an average reduction in systolic blood pressure of 4.1 mm Hg, and about 12 percent of the association was explained by gut microbiome factors.
- Drinking 2.8 glasses (125 ml of wine per glass) of red wine a week was associated with an average of 3.7 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure level, of which 15 percent could be explained by the gut microbiome.
