What Diet Is Good For High Blood Pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure has been estimated to effect over 1 billion people around the globe, and is one of the most common preventable risk factors to heart disease. Drugs are often used to lower blood pressure but this doesn’t have to be the case. Simply changing your eating habits could significantly lower the risk of high blood pressure.

In this article I wanted to highlight some of the best foods you could eat to prevent and counteract high blood pressure.

Before I start listing some foods that will help to reduce high blood pressure I wanted to highlight one dietary approach that has had success in helping hypertension and that is the DASH diet.

The DASH diet or Dietary Approaches’ to Stop Hypertension is a healthy eating plan designed to help lower blood pressure. It may also help lower LDL cholesterol in the body also having a positive impact on lowering heart disease.

Foods that make up the DASH diet are high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The diet also includes lots of vegetables and fruits (both high in fibre), whole grains, low fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts.

The diet itself is very similar to that of the Mediterranean diet.

The diet limits salt intake (sodium), saturated fats and sugar. Generally speaking it’s a reduction in processed foods and instead trying to consume more natural whole foods.

The DASH diet has also been shown that it could be effective in helping reduce the risk of other certain adverse health outcomes like diabetes.

I have linked this published paper on the benefits and mechanisms of the DASH diet for further reading https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nutrition-research-reviews/article/dietary-approaches-to-stop-hypertension-dash-potential-mechanisms-of-action-against-risk-factors-of-the-metabolic-syndrome/EFC1368C5F6E1FC5B0563FAA4C985407

Here are my 10 foods you can eat to help lower blood pressure.

1. Salmon

High in omega 3’s which can decrease inflammation in the body reducing blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

2. Green leafy vegetables

Spinach, swiss chard, pac choi, cabbage and kale all contain great sources of nitrates which can lower blood pressure. They also contain good sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium which again all help to lower blood pressure.

3. Blueberries

High in antioxidants which can help lower blood pressure by decreasing oxidative damage in the body, and reducing inflammation. Blueberries also contain a compound called anthocyanins that could also help with blood pressure reduction.

4. Beetroot

High in nitrates which are converted into nitric oxide in the body which then has the ability to widen arteries. Opening the arteries can help reduce blood pressure.

5. Avocado

Contains monounsaturated fat and high in fibre which are both good for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. Avocado is also a good source of potassium.

6. Olive oil

Another good source of monounsaturated fat. Olive oil also contains certain polyphenols that have been shown to reduce blood pressure.

7. Oats

One of my favourites, oats are a great source of dietary fibre which can help to lower blood pressure. Fibre also has the ability to lower cholesterol by binding to cholesterol in the intestines and removing it from the body.

8. Kiwi fruit

Kiwis are rich in vitamin C which has strong antioxidant properties which can help reduce blood pressure and the risk of heart disease in the body. Kiwis are also a great source of fibre especially when the skin is eaten as well.

9. Tomatoes

Rich in many nutrients especially potassium which is great for lowering blood pressure by managing sodium in the body. Tomatoes also contain a compound called lycopene which has been shown to have effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Lycopene has also been shown to bind to LDL cholesterol slowing down the atherosclerotic process.

Study on lycopene https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8880080/

10. Nuts and seeds

Containing a whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals, nuts and seeds provide fibre and arginine which both have the ability to reduce blood pressure. Arginine is an amino acid and helps in the production of nitric oxide. Nuts and seeds also contain potassium, magnesium and calcium.

I hope this article has highlighted some of the foods that are needed to prevent and lower high blood pressure.

Why not try and incorporate some of the foods above into your next meal.

Unsure how to incorporate these foods into meals or still don’t understand how the right nutrition can play as massive impact on our health, or interested in personal training then why not send me a message through my message form on my home page and I would be happy to discuss with you.

Until next time.