Is seaweed effective in preventing high blood pressure? The surprising ingredient that lowers blood pressure

Introduction

Nori seaweed has long been an indispensable ingredient on the Japanese diet, and in recent years has been gaining attention as a superfood that can easily provide nutrition.

Nori is rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but in recent years it has been attracting attention for its blood pressure lowering effect.

First of all, what is blood pressure?

Blood pressure refers to the pressure that the blood pumped by the heart exerts on the walls of blood vessels.

When the heart contracts and pumps blood, pressure is applied to the blood vessel walls, which is the systolic blood pressure. After that, when the heart expands and fills with blood, the pressure on the blood vessel walls decreases, which is the diastolic blood pressure. We often say "upper is this and lower is that," but the former is called the upper and the latter is called the lower.

Normal blood pressure is considered to be a systolic pressure of less than 130mmHg and a diastolic pressure of less than 85mmHg.

Causes of high blood pressure

There are two main causes of high blood pressure:

One type is called essential (primary) hypertension, which is caused by genetic factors and lifestyle habits. This is a condition in which high blood pressure is observed despite the absence of any disease that would cause high blood pressure.

Although it is not clear, it is thought that it may be related to genetics, or that it may be caused by lifestyle habits such as excessive salt intake, obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking. It is said that 85-90% of Japanese people with high blood pressure have primary hypertension.

The other type is hypertension caused by lifestyle habits. Because there is a clear cause, it is called secondary hypertension.

This is a condition in which high blood pressure is caused by underlying diseases such as abnormal hormone secretion, side effects of medication, etc. Blood pressure will decrease if the underlying disease is alleviated or the main cause is eliminated, such as by stopping taking medication.

Lifestyle-related hypertension

Here are some of the most common lifestyle habits that can raise your blood pressure:

• Too much salt: Eating too much salt can cause your body to retain fluid and raise your blood pressure.
• Obesity: Obesity increases blood volume, putting strain on the heart and raising blood pressure.
• Lack of exercise: Lack of exercise hardens blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
• Stress: Stress constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
• Lack of sleep: Lack of sleep disrupts the balance of the autonomic nervous system and increases blood pressure.

Seaweed's blood pressure lowering effect

Seaweed contains several compounds that have a blood pressure lowering effect.

1. Potassium

When the salt concentration in the blood increases, the amount of water in the blood vessels increases, causing blood pressure to rise. Potassium has the function of regulating the pH balance of bodily fluids, and by excreting excess salt (sodium) in urine, it has the effect of lowering blood pressure.

2. Taurine

It is known that neurotransmitters called catecholamines are involved in rising blood pressure, and taurine is known to suppress the release of these catecholamines. It has the effect of keeping the cells that make up the body in a normal state. It is also known to increase the elasticity of blood vessels, which has the effect of lowering blood pressure by expanding blood vessels.

3. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor peptides

It has been reported that peptides help prevent blood pressure from rising by making it harder to produce angiotensin-converting enzyme, which gives instructions to raise blood pressure. Peptides are named after the proteins or types of foods they are made from, and are called sesame peptides, seaweed peptides, etc.

These ingredients contained in seaweed work synergistically, so seaweed is expected to have the effect of lowering blood pressure.

Numerous clinical studies have shown that seaweed has the effect of preventing high blood pressure

Numerous clinical studies have been conducted on the blood pressure lowering effects of seaweed, and the results of many of these studies suggest that seaweed is effective in lowering blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure.

In particular, research on peptides has been active and much research has been conducted in recent years. Some products containing peptides have already been approved by the Consumer Affairs Agency as "Foods for Specified Health Uses (Tokuho)" and are able to display specific health uses.

Seaweed intake amount and precautions

There is no clear standard for how much seaweed should be consumed to expect a blood pressure lowering effect, but it has long been said that "two sheets of seaweed a day keeps the doctor away." Based on this, it is believed that consuming two sheets (whole type), or about 6g, a day on a continuous basis will provide a large amount of nutrition.

However, not all seaweed will do. Seasoned seaweed and tsukudani (simmered seaweed) contain salt and can actually have the opposite effect. Be sure to choose roasted seaweed.

Of course, you should be careful not to overeat. This can be said about any food, but if you eat too much of the same food in an attempt to enjoy its benefits, it can lead to nutritional imbalances and actually have a negative effect on your body. Try to eat a balanced diet.

summary

Seaweed contains ingredients such as potassium, taurine, and peptides that have a blood pressure lowering effect, and many past clinical studies have suggested that seaweed has a blood pressure lowering effect. Using the information introduced here as a reference, please reconsider the balance of your diet, including seaweed.