Dairy and Blood Pressure: What the Science Says

High blood pressure is a common health condition that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. One way to help control blood pressure is to eat more low-fat dairy products.

Expert Insight

• According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, increasing your intake of low-fat dairy helps lower blood pressure. However, the clinical studies cited indicate that consumption of whole-fat dairy did not lower blood pressure.

Effects

• Scientific evidence is not clear on how low-fat dairy helps to lower blood pressure, but its effectiveness has been documented by organizations like the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.

DASH Diet

• DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and is recommend by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute and the Mayo Clinic. This dietary plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods.

Sources

• Low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are readily available sources of dairy you can add to your diet.

Warning

• The DASH diet recommends consuming low-fat dairy while also lowering saturated fat intake to help lower blood pressure. Whole-fat dairy products may increase saturated fat in the diet, so to gain the benefits of dairy to lower blood pressure, consume low-fat products.