Dietary Intervention with Chayote for Blood Pressure Control
DOI:
Abstract
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart-related conditions, such as stroke and heart attack. Dietary management is essential for regulating blood pressure, and foods high in potassium, like chayote (Sechium edule, Latin) (labu siam, Indonesian), are becoming recognized for their possible antihypertensive benefits. This research examines the effects of eating chayote on the control of blood pressure in people with hypertension. An experimental approach was employed, involving three participants with hypertension and a history of stroke. The participants ate chayote combined with oats as a substitute for rice every day for a week. Blood pressure readings were taken prior to and following the intervention to evaluate alterations in systolic and diastolic values. The results indicate a notable decrease in blood pressure. Typically, systolic pressure dropped by 15 mmHg (9.4%), whereas diastolic pressure fell by 10 mmHg (10.5%). These findings indicate that chayote aids in blood pressure control due to its elevated potassium levels, promoting sodium elimination and supporting electrolyte equilibrium. Moreover, its fiber and flavonoids promote heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and minimizing oxidative stress. Although the outcomes are favorable, this research is constrained by its limited sample size and brief duration. Future studies should include larger and more varied populations, longer intervention durations, and an examination of chayote’s bioactive compounds to gain a clearer understanding of its long-term impact on blood pressure control.
Downloads
Views : 912
Downloads : 643
References
G. S. Aljuraiban, R. Gibson, D. S. Chan, L. Van Horn, and Q. Chan, “The role of diet in the prevention of hypertension and management of blood pressure: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of interventional and observational studies,” Adv. Nutr., vol. 15, no. 1, 2024.
B. Zhou, R. M. Carrillo-Larco, G. Danaei, L. M. Riley, C. J. Paciorek, G. A. Stevens, et al., “Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: A pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants,” Lancet, vol. 398, no. 10304, pp. 957–980, 2021.
C. D. Filippou, C. P. Tsioufis, C. G. Thomopoulos, C. C. Mihas, K. S. Dimitriadis, L. I. Sotiropoulou, C. A. Chrysochoou, P. I. Nihoyannopoulos, and D. M. Tousoulis, “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and blood pressure reduction in adults with and without hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” Adv. Nutr., vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 1150–1160, 2020.
B. S. Kim, M. Y. Yu, and J. Shin, “Effect of low sodium and high potassium diet on lowering blood pressure and cardiovascular events,” Clin. Hypertens, vol. 30, no. 2, 2024.
B. Zhou, R. M. Carrillo-Larco, G. Danaei, L. M. Riley, C. J. Paciorek, G. A. Stevens, et al., “Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: A pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants,” Lancet, vol. 398, no. 10304, 2021.
F. J. Charchar et al., “Lifestyle management of hypertension: International Society of Hypertension position paper endorsed by the World Hypertension League and European Society of Hypertension,” J. Hypertens., vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 23–49, 2024.
A. A. Altawili, M. Altawili, A. M. Alwadai, A. S. Alahmadi, A. M. A. Alshehri, B. H. Muyini, A. R. Alshwwaf, A. M. Almarzooq, A. H. A. Alqarni, Z. A. L. Alruwili, M. M. Alharbi, Y. M. Alrashed, and N. M. Almuhanna, “An exploration of dietary strategies for hypertension management: A narrative review,” Cureus, vol. 15, no. 12, 2023.
G. Grosso, J. Godos, W. Currenti, A. Micek, L. Falzone, M. Libra, F. Giampieri, T. Y. Forbes-Hernández, J. L. Quiles, M. Battino, et al., “The effect of dietary polyphenols on vascular health and hypertension: Current evidence and mechanisms of action,” Nutrients, vol. 14, no. 3, 2022.
B. Safari Azad, E. Daneshzad, and L. Azadbakht, “Peanut and cardiovascular disease risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., vol. 60, pp. 1123–1140, 2020.
C. Garcia and C. N. Blesso, “Antioxidant properties of anthocyanins and their mechanism of action in atherosclerosis,” Free Radic. Biol. Med., vol. 172, pp. 152–166, 2021.
H. Madsen, A. Sen, and D. Aune, “Fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies,” Eur. J. Nutr., vol. 62, no. 5, pp. 1941–1955, 2023.
S. P. Juraschek, E. R. Miller, A. R. Chang, C. A. M. Anderson, J. E. Hall, and L. J. Appel, “Effects of sodium reduction on energy, metabolism, weight, thirst, and urine volume: Results from the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)-Sodium Trial,” Hypertension, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 723–729, 2020.
M. Lim and J. Kim, “Association between fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of metabolic syndrome determined using the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES),” Eur. J. Nutr., vol. 59, pp. 1667–1678, 2020.
E. Roberts, “Dietary Fiber and Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis,” Journal of Preventive Cardiology, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 110-130, 2023.
P. Hadi and P. Markad, “Role of antioxidants in disease prevention: A review,” Int. J. Health Sci., 2023.
S. Yamada and M. Inaba, “Potassium metabolism and management in patients with CKD,” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 6, 2021.
C. M. Weaver, “Potassium and health,” Advances in Nutrition, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 368S-377S, 2023.
L. D'Elia, F. P. Cappuccio, M. Masulli, E. La Fata, D. Rendina, and F. Galletti, “Effect of potassium supplementation on endothelial function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies,” Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 4, 2023.
T. Filippini, A. Naska, M. Kasdagli, D. Torres, C. Lopes, C. Carvalho, P. Moreira, M. Malavolti, N. Orsini, P. K. Whelton, et al., “Potassium intake and blood pressure: A dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” J. Am. Heart Assoc., vol. 9, 2020.
B. Neal, Y. Wu, X. Feng, R. Zhang, Y. Zhang, J. Shi, J. Zhang, M. Tian, L. Huang, Z. Li, et al., “Effect of salt substitution on cardiovascular events and death,” N. Engl. J. Med., vol. 385, pp. 1067–1077, 2021.
K. Smiljanec, A. Mbakwe, M. R. Gonzalez, W. B. Farquhar, and S. L. Lennon, “Dietary potassium attenuates the effects of dietary sodium on vascular function in salt-resistant adults,” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 4, 2020.
O. M. Shannon et al., “Mediterranean Diet Increases Endothelial Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” J. Nutr., vol. 150, pp. 1151–1159, 2020.
H. Sun and C. M. Weaver, “Rise in Potassium Deficiency in the US Population Linked to Agriculture Practices and Dietary Potassium Deficits,” J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 68, pp. 11121–11127, 2020.
Y. T. Pu, Q. Luo, L. H. Wen, Y. R. Li, P. H. Meng, X. J. Wang, and G. F. Tan, “Origin, Evolution, Breeding, and Omics of Chayote, an Important Cucurbitaceae Vegetable Crop,” Front. Plant Sci., vol. 12, Art. no. 739091, 2021.
L. Smith, “Potassium-Rich Foods and Hypertension Prevention,” American Journal of Nutrition Research, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 120-138, 2024.
M. Burnier, “Should we eat more potassium to better control blood pressure in hypertension?” Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 184–193, 2019.
L. Ciumărnean et al., “The effects of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases,” Molecules, vol. 25, no. 18, 2020.
D. Mozzafarian and J. H. Y. Wu, “Flavonoids, dairy foods, and cardiovascular,” Circ. Res., vol. 122, pp. 369–384, 2018.
A. Ghavami, R. Ziaei, S. Talebi, H. Barghchi, E. Nattagh-Eshtivani, S. Moradi, P. Rahbarinejad, H. Mohammadi, H. Ghasemi-Tehrani, W. Marx, and G. Askari, “Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” Adv. Nutr., vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 465–474, 2023.
J. Borén, M. J. Chapman, R. M. Krauss, C. J. Packard, J. F. Bentzon, C. J. Binder, et al., “Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Pathophysiological, genetic, and therapeutic insights: A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel,” Eur. Heart J., vol. 41, no. 24, pp. 2313–2330, 2020.
A. Reynolds, J. Mann, J. Cummings, N. Winter, E. Mete, and L. Te Morenga, “Carbohydrate quality and human health: A series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses,” Lancet, vol. 393, pp. 434–445, 2019.
F. Farapti, S. A. Putri, A. W. Furqonia, P. S. Rejeki, and M. Miftahussurur, “High Potassium Diet Rich in Spices and Herbs-Salt Substitution (HPSH-SS) for Blood Pressure Reduction in Older Adults: Protocol for Diet Concept and Randomized Controlled Trial,” JMIR Res. Protoc., vol. 13, 2024.
J. P. Law, L. Pickup, D. Pavlovic, et al., “Hypertension and cardiomyopathy associated with chronic kidney disease: epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment considerations,” J. Hum. Hypertens., vol. 37, pp. 1–19, 2023.
H. Akaihata, J. Hata, R. Tanji, R. Honda-Takinami, K. Matsuoka, Y. Sato, et al., “Tetrahydrobiopterin prevents chronic ischemia-related lower urinary tract dysfunction through the maintenance of nitric oxide bioavailability,” Sci. Rep., vol. 10, 2020.
W. K. S. Barroso, C. I. S. Rodrigues, L. A. Bortolotto, M. A. Mota-Gomes, A. A. Brandão, A. D. M. Feitosa, et al., “Diretrizes Brasileiras de Hipertensão Arterial – 2020,” Arq. Bras. Cardiol., vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 516–658, 2021.
R. W. Wen, X. Q. Chen, Y. Zhu, J. T. Ke, Y. Du, C. Wang, et al., “Ambulatory blood pressure is better associated with target organ damage than clinic blood pressure in patients with primary glomerular disease,” BMC Nephrol., vol. 21, no. 1, 2020.
A. Yolanda, F. M. Diana, and P. A. Arza, “The risk factors of sodium, potassium intake, and physical activity on hypertension in the elderly,” Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Andalas, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia.
K. Y. Wei, M. Gritter, L. Vogt, M. H. de Borst, J. I. Rotmans, and E. J. Hoorn, “Dietary potassium and the kidney: lifesaving physiology,” Clin. Kidney J., vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 952–968, 2020.
