Can the answer to lowering your blood pressure be found in your gut? It just might be according to a group of researchers out of Belfast. @mindbodygreen explains the positive connection between foods packed with flavonoids – basically plants with high concentrations of pigmentation:
“They found that participants who had the highest flavonoid intake—measured by their intake of foods such as berries, red wine, apples, and pears—had lower (healthier) systolic blood pressure and a more diverse gut microbiome than those who did not consume as many flavonoid-rich foods. The researchers attribute at least 15% of the link between flavonoids and blood pressure to the health of the gut microbiome, specifically by that diversity of bacteria they found.”
Chocolate and tea also made their good for your gut/blood pressure list!
Bottom line: yet another study reminding us all to eat more of the plant rainbow.
Note: you have to love that both wine and chocolate were found to be positive in this study, although I’m pretty sure those aren’t the main “plants” they want us to focus on.
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