Grana Padano is an Italian semi-fat cheese that undergoes a lengthy maturation process. Researchers from a 2018 study published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences wanted to see how daily supplementation with cheese impacted the blood pressure of 30 patients with cases of mild to moderate hypertension. Patients either received a daily supplement containing 30 grams (approximately 1 ounce) of Grana Padano cheese or a placebo made up of bread crumbs with added fats and salt.
After two months, the researchers saw significant drops in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients who received the cheese supplement. Within a 24-hour period, patients who consumed Grana Padano cheese every day experienced an average drop of 3.5 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in systolic blood pressure (the number on top) and a mean decrease of 2.4 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure (the number below). According to Men’s Health, isoleucine-proline-proline (IPP) and valine-proline-proline (VPP) are the two compounds in Grana Padano cheese that we have to thank for benefiting our blood pressure.
