High blood pressure refers to the pressure of blood against the artery walls. Over time, high blood pressure can cause blood vessel damage which leads to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and other serious health problems. Symptoms of the condition are not always obvious, but the effects can be dire. Adding this delicious smoothie to your daily diet can help to lower your levels and keep you healthy.

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What a person eats can either help or hinder their blood pressure.

An excess of salty foods, for example, is one of the worst ways of eating which can increase blood pressure.

This is because an excess of salt means that extra water is stored in the body which raises blood pressure.

Including this food into a daily smoothie, however, will help lower your blood pressure levels.

Pomegranates are a healthy fruit which can be enjoyed both raw or added into a daily smoothie.

In a study published in EBSCO, the effects of pomegranates and blood pressure in healthy men and women was investigated.

The study noted: “Pomegranate’s may improve cardiovascular risk because of its content of antioxidant polyphenols.

“We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled parallel study to examine the effect of pomegranates on pulse wave velocity blood pressure and plasma antioxidant status in 51 healthy adults

In the study, participants consumed 330 ml a day of pomegranate juice for four weeks.

At the end of the study it was noted a significant decrease in blood pressure on all participants.

How antioxidant polyphenols help to lower blood pressure?

Nutritional Outlook said: “Polyphenolic compounds from plants have demonstrated significant benefits to the cardiovascular system.

“While these compounds are likely to have multiple mechanisms of action for cardiovascular health, one mechanism may be to promote the natural ability off the endothelial lining of blood vessels to relax.

“Polyphenols also seem to promote beneficial antioxidant effects in blood vessels by enhancing plasma antioxidant levels, decreasing free radicals and their by-products, and attenuating damage due to oxidative stress.”

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Pomegranate’s are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals and ensuring a daily dose of the fruit will lower one’s blood pressure.

Pomegranates positively effect blood pressure due to their levels of Angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE).

ACE is a protein which plays an important role in controlling blood pressure through controlling the size of blood vessels in the body.

The NHS added: “The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.

“All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.

“Getting this done is easy and could save your life.

“You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places and you can also check your blood pressure yourself with a home blood pressure monitor.”

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