Hypertension parameters are attenuated by the continuous consumption of probiotic Minas cheese

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ingestion of probiotic Minas Frescal cheese (PMFC) on hypertension parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Twenty-eight animals were divided into four groups fed with different experimental diets: control initial (Cl), control final (CF), traditional Minas Frescal cheese (CMFC), and PMFC. The latter two groups were fed with 20 g of cheese per day for 15 days. All groups were assessed for blood pressure and health parameters. The results show that the group fed with PMFC exhibited significantly lower blood pressure when compared to the group fed with CMFC, CI, and CF. Regarding the other health parameters, an improvement in blood lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol) was observed for the group fed with PMFC as compared with CMFC No significant differences were observed in renal function parameters. Our findings suggest that consumption of probiotic cheese can be potentially useful to improve the cardiovascular health parameters. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.