There's good news for people with high blood pressure (HBP). That's because new research shows that one simple remedy can significantly lower it.

HBP drugs are big business in the medical industry. But they pose risks of their own… everything from minor ailments like heartburn to life-threatening consequences like kidney damage.

Can a simple natural remedy really cut your risk of stroke by 34 percent?

A Cambridge-trained scientist says it can. His findings have been reviewed by Harvard Medical School. And they've given them the thumbs up.

Professor Graham MacGregor found a natural remedy. One that does the same job as drugs. But without any of the risks.

He was trained at Cambridge University in England. He's a professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at St. George's University of London. And he's the Chairman of the Blood Pressure Association of the U.K.

Seeking a Natural Remedy

Prof. MacGregor and his team have shown that you can lower blood pressure with a natural remedy.

Potassium chloride is the main component in HBP drugs. So the team looked at dietary potassium. And for the first time they directly compared the two side-by-side.

The potassium in certain foods is different compared to what's in drugs. It's potassium citrate rather than chloride.

But that didn't stop them. They compared both types of potassium and their effect on HBP in a series of tests.

"Increasing [dietary] potassium [has] the same effect on blood pressure as potassium chloride," says Prof. MacGregor.

His team has done a series of studies to confirm this. And they've come to an interesting conclusion. They believe that modern diets are the root cause of HBP.

"Until recently, humans consumed a diet high in potassium," says Prof. MacGregor. "However, with the increase of processed food, there has been a large decrease in potassium intake."

The Missing Dietary Link

He says processed foods have potassium stripped out.

There's another reason why we're lacking potassium. That's because we eat fewer fruits and vegetables.

Instead, we're switching to potassium-lite carbs and grains.

In fact, Prof. MacGregor says our potassium intake is now "only one third of our evolutionary intake."

Several other clinical studies back this up.

Further Research Supports Findings

These studies show that a high-potassium diet lowers blood pressure.

A research team at the Hypertension Unit of Ben Gurion University in Israel have revealed a dramatic related finding.

They conducted several trials to see how tomato extract affects blood pressure.

They took 54 people with HBP. They treated half of them with tomato extract. The other half received a placebo.

People taking the tomato extract averaged a reduction of more than 10 mmHg in systolic pressure (the top number on your blood pressure reading) and more than 5 mmHg in diastolic pressure (the lower number).

That's a dramatic increase. A further study showed that a reduction of just 5 mmHg can decrease your risk of stroke by 34 percent.

Take Control of Your Blood Pressure

So what can you do to lower your blood pressure? Simple dietary changes can really make a difference.

The best foods that are rich in potassium are bananas, cantaloupes, papayas, and honeydews. But we recommend your primary source of potassium be tomatoes.

That's because those other foods have a high glycemic score that triggers a hormonal response. One that leads to weight gain. And weight gain is also a factor in HBP.

So stick with tomatoes because they have a lower glycemic score. Try to get them into your diet at least twice a day to lower your blood pressure.

Be sure to combine them with light exercise and a healthy, low-carb, high-protein diet. Research shows that losing just 10 pounds can dramatically lower your blood pressure.

Related articles of interest:

Coffee Consumption Lowers Stroke Risk by 25 Percent

Simple “Mind Trick” Could Help You Avoid a Stroke

This Increases Stroke Death Risk by 30%

Cholesterol not linked to stroke risk

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