Fruits and vegetables contribute to lower blood pressure.

An international research team saw this when they analyzed blood samples from approximately 25,000 patients who were part of a European study from the World Health Organization. 

The study analyzed the relationship between blood pressure and flavon-3-ols, a subset of flavonoids.

Flavonoids are a bioactive substance that has antioxidant properties and inhibits inflammation.

They are found in berries, tea, fruit and vegetables, among other things. 

- This substance is found in many of the diets we recommend, such as fruits and vegetables.

This is certainly a contributing reason why we recommend just that, says Johan Frostegård, professor of medicine at Karolinska Institutet.   

Flavonoids are also found in beer and red wine. 

- I would not want to go so far as to recommend beer or wine based on this study.

If, on the other hand, you take a glass of beer or red wine, it is not a disadvantage if it also contains certain useful substances, says Johan Frostegård. 

A scientific advance  

This study is the first to provide scientific support from blood tests.  

- It is a colossally large study.

It supports the idea that these types of topics are useful to us.

But it is not the case that the effects are so strong that you fall off the chair.

You can imagine that you need 25,000 people to see such a connection, says Johan Frostegård.  

Relationships can also vary from person to person.  

- There are many factors that come into play.

It is different how sensitive we are.

There are also variations that can be genetic and have to do with stress, says Johan Frostegård.   

Diet is vital  

High blood pressure is among the most common causes of a variety of diseases.

And diet in general plays a major role in keeping us healthy.  

- Lifestyle changes mean a lot.

It's step one.

Before starting medicine, you should start by changing your lifestyle.

Above all, exercise but also diet is important, says Johan Frostegård. 

The study was published in Scientific Reports.