Sesame & Rice Bran Oil, Yogurt Help Blood Pressure
Sesame & Rice Bran Oil, Yogurt Help Blood Pressure
Sept. 19, 2012 -- A blend of sesame and rice bran oil, or making low-fat yogurt a small part of your diet, may help your blood pressure and boost heart health, according to two new studies.
The first study showed a sesame and rice bran oil blend reduced blood pressure almost as well as a commonly used medication. And the second study found that people who routinely eat yogurt are less likely to develop high blood pressure.
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) High Blood Pressure Research 2012 meeting in Washington, D.C.
“Taken together, the two studies are very supportive of the DASH eating plan,” says Rachel Johnson, PhD, RD. She is the Bickford Green and Gold professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington and an AHA spokeswoman. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is loaded with fruits and vegetables, and is low in saturated fat and salt.
“DASH recommends two or three servings of heart-healthy fats a day, and that is where sesame and rice oil fit in,” she says. DASH also calls for two to three servings a day of fat-free or low-fat dairy products, including yogurt.
The new studies “strengthen what we already know about diet and blood pressure,” Johnson says.
In the first study of 300 people with high blood pressure, participants either took medication to control their blood pressure, incorporated 35 grams of the blended sesame and rice bran oil each day into their diets, or did both for 60 days. The oil blend lowered the top number of the blood pressure reading by 14 and the bottom reading by 10.8; the medication lowered the top number by 16.2 and bottom number by 12. People who took medication and used the oil had more than twice the drop in blood pressure compared to those who did one or the other.
The oil blend used in the new study is called Vivo and is not yet commercially available. Both types of oil are available commercially on their own, though.
The first study showed a sesame and rice bran oil blend reduced blood pressure almost as well as a commonly used medication. And the second study found that people who routinely eat yogurt are less likely to develop high blood pressure.
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) High Blood Pressure Research 2012 meeting in Washington, D.C.
“Taken together, the two studies are very supportive of the DASH eating plan,” says Rachel Johnson, PhD, RD. She is the Bickford Green and Gold professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington and an AHA spokeswoman. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is loaded with fruits and vegetables, and is low in saturated fat and salt.
“DASH recommends two or three servings of heart-healthy fats a day, and that is where sesame and rice oil fit in,” she says. DASH also calls for two to three servings a day of fat-free or low-fat dairy products, including yogurt.
AHA: Healthy Fat Is In, Low Fat Is Out
The new studies “strengthen what we already know about diet and blood pressure,” Johnson says.
In the first study of 300 people with high blood pressure, participants either took medication to control their blood pressure, incorporated 35 grams of the blended sesame and rice bran oil each day into their diets, or did both for 60 days. The oil blend lowered the top number of the blood pressure reading by 14 and the bottom reading by 10.8; the medication lowered the top number by 16.2 and bottom number by 12. People who took medication and used the oil had more than twice the drop in blood pressure compared to those who did one or the other.
The oil blend used in the new study is called Vivo and is not yet commercially available. Both types of oil are available commercially on their own, though.