Grilled meat can lead to high blood pressure

Chennai: Grilled, roasted or barbecued chicken, red meat, fish or seafood can pose a high risk of higher blood pressure, reveals a study by the American Heart Association. 

The study on more than one lakh people done for over 12 to 16 years states that the risk of high blood pressure was 15 to 17 per cent higher in people who consumed at least two servings of red meat, chicken and sea food every week.

At the commencement of the study, cardiac diseases, diabetes or high blood pressure affected none of the participants. However, more than 37,100 people developed high blood pressure after 12-16 years of the study period.

Researchers say that while cooking beef, chicken, or fish in high heat by grilling, broiling, barbecuing, and roasting may lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure whereas open-flame cooking methods can increase the risk of hypertension.

The study found that eating roasted, grilled or broiled meat greater risk of developing high blood pressure was higher than those who used high-temperature cooking less than four times on a monthly basis. The risk of hypertension was also found to be 15 per cent higher in the people who consumed well-done meat meals.“High blood pressure and hypertension cannot only lead to heart diseases, but can also prove to be a silent killer, causing stroke.

The release of chemicals after meat is cooked at high temperatures leads to oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin resistance in the arteries. This could affect the inner linings of blood vessels and cause high blood pressure,” said cardiologist Dr Suresh Rao.