How raw whole buckwheat groats may help to lower essential hypertension

July 2, 1:09 PMSacramento Nutrition ExaminerAnne Hart

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Whole raw buckwheat groats, like four celery stalks, also act a bit like ACE inhibitors. Some people are prescribed a common drug for high blood pressure that's known as an ACE inhibitor. 

These types of drugs are classified in the category of medicines that are called angiotensin-inhibiting enzymes.One example of such a drug is Lisinopril®. Did you know certain foods also inhibit angiotensin enzymes?

One of those foods is raw whole buckwheat groats. Another is raw celery. That's why raw food vegan diets work so well on helping people with hypertension that don't respond to well to drugs and aren't candidates for implants. Sometimes drugs imitate foods found in nature.

Other foods that have similar effects on hypertension in addition to buckwheat and celery include sea vegetables, garlic (including aged garlic extract because sometimes raw garlic caused polyps to grow inside the stomach of some test animals) beet juice, and certain forms of grape seed extracts. With raw celery, tests were done with one week of eating four raw celery stalks and three weeks off.

Do these foods work? Try them along with lifestyle changes and take your own measurements. If you want to try buckwheat, use the organic, GMO-free type. If you're looking for medical journal articles to validate studies, see the study, Ushida, Y., et al, "Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation effect of rutin-free tartary buckwheat extract in isolated rat thoracic aorta," Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 19:700-707. 2008. Then read, Li CH, et al, "Latent Production of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors from buckwheat protein," Journal of Peptide Science, 8:267-74, 2002.

Also see, "Plant Food-Derived Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides," Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009, 57 (12), pp 5113–5120. Reviews of a number of animal food-derived peptides have emphasized their in vitro and in vivo ACE inhibitory activities. This review discusses plant food-derived angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from sources, production, purification, and structure to in vitro and in vivo activities.

For the average consumer, knowing what raw foods are helpful to help lower high blood pressure and why they work are the types of information most valued. Try raw whole oat groats soaked overnight or for at least six hours in filtered or distilled water topped with soaked almonds, soaked sunflower seeds, and dried fruit or berries. Raisins, dates, figs, cherries, frozen blueberries, or strawberries make this snack or breakfast taste great and provide enough fiber.

You can sprout the buckwheat groats in a jar as well as the sunflower seeds. Or eat them as they are when soaked overnight in water. Always put the jar of buckwheat and water in the refrigerator when soaking overnight or for any length of time longer than two hours. Generally, soak grains in water for at least six to eight hours.

To soak whole buckwheat groats overnight, fill a container half way with filtered, boiled, or distilled water. Add a few handfuls of whole raw buckwheat groats, a handful of raw almonds and sunflower seeds, some sesame seeds, and dried fruit such as raisins, figs, dates, dehydrated berries, or prunes.

After six to eight hours of soaking, the raw whole buckwheat groats become soft and chewy. Enjoy as a snack or for breakfast. Sesame seeds are great to add to the jar to soak for a few hours. This whole grain, nuts, seeds, and fruit delight should provide some soluble fiber in your diet