Move over, cranberry; there’s a new juice in town.
And, according to a new report, if you have high blood pressure caused by inflammation, you should consider drinking a lot more of it.
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“It” is lingonberry juice, and an experimental study found its long-term consumption lowers blood pressure and improves the function of blood vessels.
In her doctoral thesis at the University of Helsinki, Anne Kivimäki investigated the cardiovascular effects of cold-pressed lingonberry juice, cranberry juice and blackcurrant juice on genetically hypertensive rats.
"Epidemiological studies have shown that polyphenol-rich food reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Lingonberry, bilberry, cranberry and blackcurrant are excellent sources of polyphenols," the university wrote in a press release.
Kivimäki found that diluted lingonberry juice significantly lowered high blood pressure, and juice that contained more polyphenols improved impaired blood vessel function to the level of healthy vessels.
The juice did not prevent the age-related elevation of blood pressure typical to the hypertensive animal strain, however.
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“These experimental findings need evidence from comparative clinical studies on healthy individuals with slightly elevated blood pressure who, at this point, have been given nutritional and lifestyle guidance instead of drug therapy. Lingonberry juice is no substitute for medication, but it is a good dietary supplement,” Kivimäki says.
Lingonberry isn't nearly as common in the U.S. as cranberry, however, but you can order it online.
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