Many people who look up aronia berries also ask whether they can help with high blood pressure. It is a fair question, and it deserves a straight answer: aronia berries are a food. They are not a treatment for high blood pressure, and we do not sell them as one.
Why we make no blood pressure claims
In Canada, the Food and Drugs Act does not allow any food to be advertised to the public as a treatment, preventative or cure for hypertension or the other conditions listed in its Schedule A.1. Health Canada has also not accepted a health claim for aronia berries. That is why you will not find statements on our website that aronia lowers blood pressure, and why it is worth being cautious with sellers who make them.
What about the studies?
Aronia, like many dark berries, has been the subject of scientific research, including small studies that looked at blood pressure and other cardiovascular measures. These studies are limited in size and design, and their results are not consistent enough to support an approved health claim. We therefore do not present them as evidence of a benefit, and you should not expect aronia juice, powder or dried berries to change your blood pressure readings.
If you have high blood pressure
- Follow the treatment plan you agreed on with your doctor. No food, including aronia, replaces prescribed medication.
- Do not stop or change a medication because of a food or supplement you read about online.
- If you take prescription medication and plan to add any new food product to your daily routine in larger amounts, mention it to your doctor or pharmacist.
- For everyday eating, Canada's Food Guide is a good reference for everyone: plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grains and protein foods, with water as the drink of choice.
Sources
- Food and Drugs Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. F-27), section 3 and Schedule A.1
- Health Canada: Guidance Document – Schedule A and Section 3 to the Food and Drugs Act
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Health claims on food labels
- Canada's Food Guide
This article is general information and not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your blood pressure.
