An amino acid found in vegetable protein has the potential to reduce blood pressure, research has shown.
The American study showed that glutamic acid, which is an amino acid found in high quantities in vegetables like broccoli, is linked to lower high blood pressure.
The study involved 4,680 people aged 40 to 59. The participants were spread across the world from the US, UK, China, and Japan.
The researchers reported that a 4.72 per cent higher dietary intake of the amino acid glutamic acid via vegetables was linked to lower blood pressure.
Professor Jeremiah Stamler, a preventive medicine specialist at Northwestern University Chicago, and lead author of the study, said that the results demonstrated the effectiveness of vegetables in reducing heart risk. 'The fact that the most important amino acid in vegetable protein is related to blood pressure supports the inference that a diet high in vegetable protein and low in animal protein has favorable effects on blood pressure,” he added.
Glutamic acid is also found in high quantities in beans, wholegrains including wholegrain rice, breads and cereals, tofu and durum wheat.
