What Foods Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

What Is Blood Pressure

Blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is the Pressure of Blood against your artery walls. A prolonged rate of high blood pressure in a person is likely to result in serious blood vessel damage, resulting in heart disease, stroke or even kidney disease. Reasons behind a high blood pressure can range anywhere from age, family history, gender and race. However, there are also factors that can help to not just lower but control your blood pressure noticeably. This includes exercise and diet. Read on to find out what seven foods How To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally and Quickly.

Foods Scientifically Proven To Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure affects 70 million U.S. adults. Check out this list of foods that can help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

High blood pressure, aka hypertension, is the stealthy, sometimes invisible killer of millions of people in the United States and around the world every year. Often, you won’t feel a thing for years, even decades, while the damage to your cardiovascular system mounts. Finally, one day, when blasting through a workout or simply relaxing, it happensâa heart attack or stroke that either ends or forever alters your life.

This condition affects one in three Americans, and once their blood pressure rises, it’s very hard to bring down. For most people, this involves relaxing and sleeping more, exercising regularly, taking medications daily, and perhaps hardest of all, changing eating habits. The cruel twist? Feeling stressed by all of this will only make things worse.1

Normalizing blood pressure is one of the most important thingsâif not the most important thingâyou can do to improve your health and increase your life span. Fortunately, many foods can lower blood pressure naturally. Rather than cutting things out, science shows that you can really benefit from adding these into your diet.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Regularly drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure over time.

Staying within the recommended levels is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure:

• men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
• spread your drinking over 3 days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week

Read Also: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure

What Can I Eat To Lower My Blood Pressure Immediately

Research suggests that consuming nitrate-rich vegetables can help lower blood pressure for up to 24 hours. This lowering may not bring blood pressure into the normal range. It is important to check your blood pressures at home, and at the grocery store or pharmacy with the goal of less than 135/85. Nitrate-rich vegetables should not be confused with nitrate-rich foods laden with preservatives.

When most people hear nitrate, the first thing they think of is processed meat because artificial nitrate is added to bacon, hot dogs, and salami for preservation. When taken from animal sources, nitrate is converted into carcinogenic nitrosamine in your body, which is extremely harmful to your health, Dr. Lam says. Nitrates from vegetables, fruits, and grainson the other handare converted to nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide helps relax blood vessels and improves blood flow.

Research indicates that dehydration can impair blood vessel function, so drinking plenty of water daily to stay hydrated is a good rule of thumb to reduce blood pressure.

May Promote Weight Loss

Following a healthy diet that includes nutrient-dense foods like Swiss chard may help you lose weight and keep it off for good.

Filling up on high-fiber vegetables like Swiss chard can increase fullness after meals, reducing your risk of snacking and overeating.

In a study in 120 overweight adults, those who received twice the amount of vegetables than the control group experienced greater weight loss and hunger satisfaction .

People who eat more vegetables tend to weigh less than those who dont.

A review of 17 studies in over 560,000 participants noted that those with the highest intake of vegetables were 17% less likely to be overweight or obese .

Alongside its fiber content, Swiss chard has only 35 calories per cooked cup .

Adding this low-calorie, nutrient-dense green to your diet can help you stay on track when trying to lose weight and get healthy.

Summary

Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse that you can eat in many ways. Its mild taste makes it a perfect ingredient for countless recipes.

Here are some excellent ways to add Swiss chard to your diet:

Summary

Swiss chard is a mild green that can be used in a number of dishes, including salads, pastas and sides.

Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable that is packed with nutrients.

It contains an impressive amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs.

Whats more, you can sauté it alone or add it to stews, salads, stir-fries, frittatas, pastas and more.

Don’t Miss: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure

Sweet And Savory Cinnamon May Help Cholesterol Levels

Run to your pantry, grab your jar of this sweet spice, and start sprinkling studies have shown that it may be a food to lower blood pressure. Theres also some possibility that cinnamon might help with cholesterol levels, too, Dean says. There are many great ways to use cinnamon that dont involve desserts. You can sprinkle it on oatmeal, stir it into stews and chili, and in stick form, use it to flavor coffee and hot cocoa.

Easy Things You Can Do To Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is dangerous. It can lead to many health problems, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, angina, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, kidney disease, vision loss, sexual dysfunction and more.

Fortunately, high blood pressure can often be prevented or controlled.

Here are some easy things you can do to lower your blood pressure or help prevent high blood pressure in the first place.

Exercise. Doctors recommend at least 150 minutes per week of exercise to help reduce blood pressure. Brisk walking is excellent for reducing blood pressure and improving overall cardiovascular health, but other exercises can work too. Try jogging, riding a bike, swimming, dancing, or interval training to get your aerobic exercise. Strength training is also important to your heart health and can help reduce blood pressure.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Eating a well-balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds that is also low in sodium, saturated fat, added sugar, and cholesterol is important for your heart. There is a diet specifically geared toward lowering blood pressure. Its called the DASH diet, which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. Talk to your doctor or make an appointment with a dietitian if you need help making changes to your diet.

Set small, easily attainable goals, and when you reach them, set bigger ones. Step by step, you will take control of your health and your blood pressure.

You May Like: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure

Natural Help For Hypertension

If you have high blood pressure, it can increase your risk for a lot of things, including heart attack, stroke, and vision problems, just to name a few. Thats why its so important to manage your hypertension, including natural remedies like walking and meditation as well as working with your doctor to find a medication that helps. Your diet can play an important role too. Here are nearly two dozen foods that may help lower blood pressure. Consider adding some to your diet for a boost to your heart health.

Boost Your B12 Intake

Vitamin B12 performs a critical role in helping the body produce healthy red blood cells. Lack of this important vitamin can result in anemia, which lowers blood pressure and can result in excessive bleeding as well as organ and nerve damage. Foods that are rich in vitamin B12 include eggs, chicken, fish like salmon and tuna, and low-fat dairy products.

Also Check: Onion Blood Pressure

How To Eat And Add Into The Diet

Medjool dates are one of the most common dates in the U.S. and people can easily buy them in most grocery stores. Medjool dates have a pit in the middle that people can remove after slicing the date from the top to the bottom.

Due to their sweet, caramel taste, people may consider using them in desserts or sweet dishes. The American Institute of Cancer Research provides dessert recipes containing medjool dates such as a chocolate and date mousse and date, walnut and dark chocolate cookies. People may also incorporate medjool dates into their diet by:

• adding them to fruit smoothies
• using them as a topping for oatmeal and cereals
• mixing them into salads and other savory dishes
• stuffing them with nuts or cheese

Leafy Greens Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

Many leafy greens, including everything arugula and kale to spinach and collard greens, contain potassium and magnesium which are key minerals to control blood pressure, according to Harvard Medical School. These nutrients are an important part of the DASH diet , which suggests a variety of foods that lower blood pressure. A potassium-rich diet helps the body become more efficient at flushing out excess sodium, which can raise blood pressure, and magnesium helps promote healthy blood flow, according to nutritionist Joy Bauer.

Don’t Miss: Does Claritin D Raise Blood Pressure

Every Kitchen Cupboard Needs:

Wholegrain varieties of pasta, breakfast cereals and rice. Eating more wholegrains will help to lower your risk of heart disease, and they contain fibre which keeps you feeling full and aids digestion. Brown rice, wholewheat pasta and wholegrain cereals are good choices.

Nuts and seeds. These are a great source of minerals, nutrients and fibre. As they can also be high in fat, a good rule of thumb is to eat no more than handful a day. Avoid the roasted and salted types, the added salt will raise your blood pressure.

Canned fish, fruit, vegetables and beans. Canned products can be just as good as fresh or frozen. Choose options in water or their own juice and avoid foods tinned in oil, brine or syrup, or with added salt or sugar.

Help Lower Blood Pressure With These Foods And Drinks

More than 100 million Americans or nearly half of all adults suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure contributes to a number of health problems including stroke, heart attack and heart disease, and the risk of developing high blood pressure increases with age.

According to the National Institutes of Health, even people who do not have high blood pressure by 55 still face a 90% chance of developing it.

While there are prescription medications that can help manage hypertension, lifestyle choices also play a significant role. Exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting sodium intake and managing how stress affects your body are all essential.

Eating a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can also make a big difference, especially when you choose foods and drinks that are not only good for you, but that can also help lower your blood pressure.

Don’t Miss: What Is The Va Disability Rating For Hypertensive Heart Disease

What To Eat To Help Raise Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure can be caused by a variety of factors, including medication side effects and conditions like diabetes. What you eat also has a notable impact on your heart health and blood pressure. Here are eight diet tips that might help raise your blood pressure back up to a healthy level.

Other Fruits And Vegetables

Adding more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables of all kinds to your diet can help lower your blood pressure, Patton says. And, research shows it could help you avoid developing hypertension. In fact, the DASH diet, an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, suggests eating four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables every day.

You May Like: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure

Top 13 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

Regardless of location or income level, the leading cause of death worldwide is heart disease. One of the most common conditions leading to heart disease and stroke is the all-too familiar issue of high blood pressure. A shocking one in three individuals in the United States has high blood pressure.

The good news is that high blood pressure can usually be reversed naturally, specifically through lifestyle changes and consuming foods that lower blood pressure.

Even though its closely related to dietary and lifestyle habits, many people try to rely on medication alone to solve their blood pressure problems.

One of the most popular prescription drugs for hypertension, Lisinopril, names side effects including blurred vision, confusion, dizziness and unusual tiredness or weakness.

To me, that sounds pretty undesirable for something you can easily correct with a high blood pressure diet and lifestyle changes. In fact, Im going to tell you about 13 foods, including everything from snacks to juice to herbs, that have been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure.

Fruits That Lower Blood Pressure

The National Institutes of Health recommends the DASH diet to lower high blood pressure. The DASH diet plan is high in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products. It is also high in potassium, calcium and magnesium which are useful in controlling high blood pressure.

Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that higher dietary potassium intakes were associated with significantly lower blood pressures. The DASH trial provided further support for the beneficial effects of a potassium-rich diet on blood pressure. According to them, consumption of a diet including 8.5 servings/day of fruits and vegetables and 4,100 mg/day of potassium lowered blood pressure by an average of 2.8 /1.1 mm Hg in people with normal blood pressure and by an average of 7.2 /2.8 mm Hg in people with hypertension. Increasing dietary calcium intake by 800 mg/day in the DASH trial lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure still further.

Since fruits contain many essential nutrients, vitamins and anti-oxidants besides potassium, it is one of the best types of food that can help lower your blood pressure. Here are some fruits that are high in potassium content and which help lower blood pressure.

is a very good source of potassium and vitamin A. With 2202 mg of potassium in a cup of dehydrated apricot, it is perhaps one of the best foods that have potassium in them. It is very low in sodium content as well as saturated fat and cholesterol.

Food Groups

26

Recommended Reading: Does Onion Lower Blood Pressure

Lentils And Other Pulses

Lentils are a staple of many diets around the world, as they are an excellent source of vegetarian protein and fiber.

In 2014, researchers who studied the effects of a diet rich in pulses on rats reported of blood pressure and cholesterol. A total of 30 percent of the rats diet comprised pulses, including beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas.

Lentils are very versatile. Many people use them as a vegetarian alternative to minced beef or to add bulk to salads, stews, and soups. A range of lentils is available for purchase online.

One The Easiest Steps You Can Take To Prevent High Blood Pressure Is Choosing Healthy Foods

High blood pressure is a health issue that affects both young and old Australians alike, with close to 6 million Australians aged 18 years and over with high blood pressure.

Alarmingly its one of the leading risk factors for death and disability in Australia, as well as across the world.

One the easiest steps you can take to prevent high blood pressure is choosing healthy foods.

The foods we choose every day are important for our heart health. Research into high blood pressure shows us that the foods we consume can help to lower and manage high blood pressure.

But dont worry, weve done the heavy lifting and read the research, all you need to do is read on. The following foods are your best bets in beating high blood pressure based on the science.

Read Also: How To Calibrate Blood Pressure Monitor Omron

Fruits For High Blood Pressure

Fruit is full of nutrients that can bring down your blood pressure. The key nutrients are potassium, magnesium, and fiber. The potassium in bananas, for example, lowers tension in the walls of your blood vessels. It also helps get rid of sodium — which raises blood pressure — through your urine.

Since fruit is sweet, it makes a good substitute for less healthy desserts. Look for fresh, frozen, or canned versions of these fruits that pack a lot of potassium, magnesium, and fiber:

• Apples
• Oranges
• Pears
• Prunes

If you buy canned fruit, make sure its packed in water or natural juices, not syrup. And also check to see that theres no added sugar or salt.

What Is The Best Drink For High Blood Pressure

To ensure that your heart is healthy, you have to watch out for your blood pressure. If you are concerned with your hearts health, you have to control high blood pressure. Incorporating a healthy diet is your first defense in avoiding this condition.

While certain foods that lower blood pressure, some drinks do the same. Weve rounded up the different types of drinks that can help lower your blood pressure.

• Beet Juice with health-promoting vitamins, this low-calorie vegetable aids in lowering your blood pressure
• Prune Juice aside from constipation remedy, this can reduce high blood pressure and your cholesterol level
• Berry Juice loaded with antioxidants, cherry, or cranberry juice can help improve your blood pressure.
• Tea .- when controlling blood pressure, go for green and black tea
• Pomegranate Juice loaded with vitamin C and folate, this juice can aid to lower blood pressure

Read Also: Will Aspirin Raise Blood Pressure