Skimmed milk and other non-fat milk products help prevent high blood pressure and actually cut in half the risk of developing the dangerous condition, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Navarra in Spain.

Dr. Alvaro Alonso and his colleagues evaluated the relationship between the consumption of milk products and the risk of developing arterial hypertension. They followed 6,000 people for more than two years.

The Spanish scientists found that people who consumed a lot of non-fat milk products showed a reduction of 50 percent in their risk of developing hypertension.

On the other hand, people who consumed standard milk products shows no such drop in hypertension risk.

Dr. Alonso and his colleagues note that this is the first time skim milk has been shown to protect against hypertension in adults. They say the findings will contribute to a clearer definition of dietary guidelines for the prevention of arterial hypertension.

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.