High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, relates to the force of blood being transported around your body through your arteries. This force naturally fluctuates throughout the day but sustained high blood pressure puts a strain on your artery walls. Over time, your arteries respond by becoming more rigid and narrow. While this process produces no outward signs, it means less blood is being conveyed to your heart.

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Eventually, this can starve the heart of the supply of oxygenated blood it needs to function, a process called heart disease.

Heart disease is a major killer so stave off the risk of developing it, it is important to keep your blood pressure in check.

So, how can I lower high blood pressure?

Luckily, high blood pressure can be reversed by making simple lifestyle adjustments.

Making a conscious effort to eat a healthy, balanced diet is a foolproof way to lower your reading.

While it is important to follow general dietary rules to keep blood pressure in check, certain items have been touted for their blood pressure-lowering benefits.

One item that yielded promising results are egg whites.

A compound in egg whites may help lower blood pressure as effectively as a common medication, according to research presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans.

The findings suggest that combining egg whites with medicine could be a potent combination in fighting high blood pressure in humans, the researchers said.

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“Our research suggests that there may be another reason to call it ‘the incredible, edible egg,'” said Zhipeng Yu, Ph.D., a study author and researcher with Clemson University, said in a statement.

Yu continued: “We have evidence from the laboratory that a substance in egg white — it’s a peptide, one of the building blocks of proteins — reduces blood pressure about as much as a low dose of Captopril, a high-blood-pressure drug.”

How did Yu and his team arrive at this verdict?

Previous research showed that the peptide, called RVPSL, blocks production of an enzyme that raises blood pressure.

The Clemson researchers reported that feeding rats levels of RVPSL comparable to the amount contained in six egg whites provided about the same benefit as a low dose of the drug Captopril, which also blocks production of the key blood pressure.

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Researchers tested RVPSL that had been heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees celsius).

Eggs cooked to higher temperatures may lower blood pressure more effectively, the scientists suggested, saying that previous research on the peptide exposed it to higher temperatures.

“Fried egg proteins cooked at high temperatures actually showed greater ability to reduce blood pressure than eggs boiled at 212 degrees F,” the researchers said.

General dietary rules

Cut down on the amount of salt in your food and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to lower hypertension.

As the NHS explains, the more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure.

“Aim to eat less than six grams (0.2oz) of salt a day, which is about a teaspoonful,” advises the health site.

“Eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables also helps lower blood pressure,” adds the health body.

It is also important to keep active.

“Being active and taking regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition,” notes the NHS.

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