Home » Blood Pressure Management for Women - Go (Soy) Nuts

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Women who go nuts, (soy nuts, that is) are likely to find a reduction in blood pressure and a healthier heart. Soy nuts are tasty, and provide an easily obtainable overall health benefit for women.

A handful of unsalted, roasted soy nuts daily can significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. According to a study, published last year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who ate 1/2cup of soy nuts and took a thirty minute walk each day were able to significantly lower their blood pressure.  All the women were also required to maintain an overall healthy diet. The results yielded a 15mm/Hg drop in systolic blood pressure and 6mm/Hg drop in diastolic blood pressure. This equates to the same effect as taking a blood pressure medication.

Even if your blood pressure is normal at age 55, you still run a 90% lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The chance of developing cardiovascular disease becomes twice that with even minor blood pressure elevations. You can cut your risk of coronary heart disease by 6% by lowering the diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure by just 2mm/Hg.

The current thinking is that the Isoflavin content of soy nuts is as protective to the heart as estrogen.

Besides ingesting this specific form of soy protein, women should take note of the following dietary guidelines:

Take 1200mg of Calcium daily.
Limit your total cholesterol intake to less than 200mg/day.
Limit your carbohydrate intake to 55% of your total calories. Total fat intake should be 30% daily (12% monounsaturated, 11% polyunsaturated,(≤
7% saturated).
Eat two meals containing fatty fish per week.
If you have existing high blood pressure, limit your salt intake to
2000mg/day.

Ref: Welty FK, Lee KS, Lew NS, Zhou JR
Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1060-1067

Meal Suggestion (modified from "Everday Food")

Salmon steaks with white-beans and olive
Ingredients
4 salmon steaks, about 8 oz. each
2 cans (14oz) cannelli beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

1. Heat broiler with rack set 4in. from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with
aluminum foil. Place salmon on baking sheet; season to taste.
Broil until opaque throughout, 10-12 minutes.

2. While the salmon is broiling heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium
heat. Add 2 14 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained and season to
taste. Cook about 2-4 minutes or until warmed throughout. You can add some
water after cooking if the beans are dry. After cooking stir in some lemon
juice for added flavor.

 

 

Kathleen Blanchard is a Registered Nurse and regular contributor at Her Active Life.  You can read her health articles here.