A recent study in Canada has discovered that the proteins in the yellow garden pea appear to assist in lowering hypertension. Furthermore, they can delay, control, or even prevent kidney disease.

High blood pressure poses a major risk for disease of the kidneys, which is believed to be an issue for an estimated 13% of American adults. Difficult to treat, kidney disease is responsible for taking many lives as a result of cardiovascular complications and often progresses to a level of severity that necessitates life saving kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.

A team of researchers was searching for a way to affect patients’ blood pressure, and concentrated their efforts on the potential effect of yellow peas, a vegetable we know to be a low fat, cholesterol free source of vitamins, protein and fiber.

What the researchers did was use a complicated protein purification process to activate an otherwise dormant benefit from the vegetable. In these research sessions a mix of proteins found in yellow garden peas, called “pea protein hydrolysate” was created and given to kidney diseased rats.

After the passing of eight weeks, the blood pressure in the treated rats dropped by around 20% compared with the blood pressure of a group of kidney diseased rats who hadn’t been treated.

The researchers thought that was a pretty considerable improvement, and were pleased that there were no apparent adverse effects from the pea protein. However, to make of this protein available to humans isn’t an easy task. It first needs to be combined with enzymes so that it could take the form of a food additive or nutritional supplement.

Human trials are being undertaken at the moment, and if these prove successful, the protein may be available in pharmacies in three years time.