High blood pressure spells no good news for your heart due to its ability to make your arteries less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart – a recipe for a heart disease.
Therefore, keeping your reading in check is crucial in order to avoid further health problems.
Fortunately, Michele Porter, the lead nutritionist at healthy meal delivery service Foodhak, has shared that one seed does this with gusto.
Whether you enjoy flaxseeds in yoghurt or sprinkle them over your dishes, they offer more than a bit of crunch.
Packed with protein, fibre, and omega-3 fatty acids, the small foods hide some impressive health benefits.
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Research also agrees that the foods could be helpful when it comes to controlling your blood pressure.
Porter said: “Firstly, flaxseed is high in potassium, which helps cancel out the negative effects of sodium (or salt) in the diet.
“Excess sodium disturbs the water balance in your body and puts extra strain on your blood vessels, which can in turn increase your blood pressure.
“Eating flaxseed in its full form contains healthy amounts of fibre, which is believed to protect the layer of cells lining the blood vessels, again preventing your blood pressure levels from surging.
“Finally, the high levels of alpha-linolenic acid and lignans present in flaxseed are also beneficial to lowering the risk of hypertension.”
What’s more, including just 30 grams of flaxseeds in your daily food regimen can cut your blood pressure in as little as 12 weeks.
“This includes around a 13 percent unit decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and just over five percent unit decrease in diastolic blood pressure,” the expert added.
Interestingly, enjoying even small amounts of the seeds can “make a difference”.
Porter explained that just a single tablespoon of flaxseeds contains two grams of fibre, which is around five to eight percent of your daily recommended amount.
“It also contains about 10 percent of your daily intake of thiamine and copper, which helps your immunity and your brain health.
“It is easy to incorporate this amount into your diet, especially when packing it into smoothies and baked goods, such as healthy flapjack.
“You can also buy flaxseed oil, which is still rich in the vitamins required to lower blood pressure, but without the benefits of fibre.”
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