Do you suffer from high blood pressure? If so, consider changing your diet. According to a recent study that appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, overweight people who replace their sugar with protein show signs of reduced blood pressure.

In the study, 99 overweight adults with slightly elevated blood pressure levels were made to drink sugary drinks with their meals for two weeks. Afterward, they were randomly split into two groups. One group was given a protein supplement to be added to water, while the other was given a sweet carbohydrate called maltodextrin for the next four weeks. At the end of the study, researchers hoped to find out just what could be done to ease high blood pressure.

Upon analysis of results, researchers learned that those who consumed the protein supplement drink lost five points from their systolic measurement, compared to those who drank the carb juice.

At this point, though, it is not clear whether the increase in protein intake or the decrease in carb intake was responsible for the lower blood pressure. Lead researcher Karianna Teunissen-Beekman of Maastricht University in the Netherlands said further research needs to be done before a conclusion can be made. She also added that, regardless of the results, living a healthy lifestyle overall is important for regulating your blood pressure and reaping other health benefits.

(Photo by Chef Cooke via Flickr Creative Commons)