At least two servings of yogurt per week can decrease the chances of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) by up to 30 percent in hypertensive adults, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension.

The researchers evaluated the link between yogurt consumption and CVD risk in hypertensive individuals using two research cohorts. More than 55,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study and 18,000 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

In 1980, participants from the Nurses’ Health Study reported their dietary intake from the preceding year, by completing a “food frequency” questionnaire. They were also asked to report physician-diagnosed events including heart attacks, stroke, etc.

Researchers reported 3,300 and 2,148 total cardiovascular incidents (stroke, heart attacks, revascularization) among women and men, respectively.

A higher consumption of yogurt was associated with:

• 30 percent decrease of risk for heart attacks in women.
• 19 percent decrease of risk for heart attacks in men.
• 16 percent lower risk of undergoing revascularization in women.
• 20 percent lower risk of major coronary heart disease or stroke during the follow-up period.

"We hypothesized that long-term yogurt intake might reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems since some previous small studies had shown beneficial effects of fermented dairy products," Justin Buendia, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, said in a statement. "Here, we had a very large cohort of hypertensive men and women, who were followed for up to 30 years. Our results provide important new evidence that yogurt may benefit heart health alone or as a consistent part of a diet rich in fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains."