Source: ibtimes.com
High blood pressure is caused by many factors like age and family history. The risk of having this condition is higher when it manifested in several members of the family in the past and present.
Nevertheless, lifestyle and diet also play huge roles in the development and worsening of this condition. Eating slightly or greasy meals can aggravate the condition. When left untreated, it can progress to levels where the risk of stroke and heart attack will be very high.
The problem is most meals are cooked using regular cooking oil. Cooking meals without using the oil can be very difficult since the surface of the frying pan or hot plate and the food to be cooked are not even. While using regular cooking oil will eliminate this issue, it somehow puts the general health of the body at risk.
There is one particular type of oil, though, that might help reduce this risk and avoid having high blood pressure. What type of oil is this?
Studies have shown that patients who follow a Mediterranean diet are very successful in managing their blood pressure. According to experts, this is primarily due to the use of extra virgin olive oil. Their research on the matter showed evidence extra virgin olive oil helps decrease blood pressure. Patients consuming extra virgin olive oil have somehow reduced their dependency on drugs to control their blood pressure.
In the same study conducted among patients with high blood pressure, researchers found their condition dramatically improve after several weeks of consuming food cooked in extra virgin oil. Many of them were able to improve their quality of life without taking more medications.
Medical doctors and researchers agree that olive oil does wonders for patients with high blood pressure. Doctor Aldo Ferrara, an internal medicine associate professor, revealed that patients who use 40 grams of olive oil daily were able to reduce their medications by as much as 50%.
He also revealed extra virgin oil has antioxidants called polyphenols, which are thought to be the reason why patients participating in the research were able to enjoy lower blood pressure. Polyphenols are compounds that fight inflammation, which helps reduce blood pressure. Researchers say that as far as the results of the study go, there is a clear benefit between using regular cooking oil and extra virgin oil on food.