If you were diagnosed with hypertension, one of the things your doctor probably mentioned was a change in your diet. It is necessary, especially if you are used to eating salty foods. In some cases, people with heart conditions or a genetic predisposition for high blood pressure may also require changing their diet.
But a perfect diet to lower blood pressure is not only about taking out salty foods. That’s an important part, but not the only one. You should also eat healthy foods instead, especially those that contribute to lowering blood pressure levels.
Keep in mind that changing your diet is only a part of the treatment. Eating these foods does not replace your current medication. Ask your doctor if you still have any doubts and consider the best treatment options according to your particular case.
Your doctor will probably agree that these foods will be helpful to manage high blood pressure:
1. Mango
Hypertension and blood sugar are different, and if your doctor considers mango as a suitable option to eat, this sweet fruit can help you reduce blood pressure as well. It is a sweet treat with many nutrients, dietary fiber, and tons of beta-carotenes that give the pulp its characteristic color.
Beta-carotenes in mango can potentially lower blood pressure levels, and you can eat them raw or blended in a smoothie. Sorbets make up an excellent option, and there are plenty of tasty recipes you can try.
2. Salmon
This one should be included in almost all lists of healthy foods. That is because salmon contains many nutrients and is one of the healthiest profiles. It is a bit expensive compared to the average fish, but it is worth it.
The omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon will protect your heart and reduce cardiovascular inflammation. It is also expected to lower your cardiovascular risk and blood pressure levels. Moreover, salmon is a source of protein that may build lean mass if you combine its consumption with regular exercise.
3. Bell peppers
We usually think that citrus fruits are the best sources of vitamin C. They are excellent, without a doubt, but most people don’t know that bell peppers contain even more vitamin C. You’re not likely to consume as many bell peppers as compared to citrus fruits, but even then, eating them every day may reduce your blood pressure levels by around 5 millimeters of mercury. It doesn’t sound much, but five mmHg can make a difference if your hypertension is on the borderline. Bell peppers are versatile, and you can add them to almost any type of meal.
4. Apricots
You can make apricots a usual food in your diet and reduce the risk of hypertension in a few weeks if you make it a habit. There are different types, and you can get them as fresh fruits or dried apricots. The latter is a healthy snack you can adopt, and the former can be used in a variety of smoothies.
They are useful for losing weight and contain beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Apricots will also give you dietary fiber, which helps you lower your blood pressure along with beta-carotene.
5. Dark chocolate
This is an excellent dessert and can be taken as a snack, too. Just be sure not to choose dark chocolate brands with added sugars. These should be avoided, especially if you suffer from hypertension and diabetes.
Dark chocolate contains plenty of flavonoids, which are behind its dar color. They go directly to your blood vessels and improve the metabolism of the inner lining, called the endothelium. That is how dark chocolate helps your blood vessels dilate, making up space in the circulatory system and reducing blood pressure levels.
6. Apples
If you have heard about the benefits of apples, you are probably familiar with pectin. It is one of the most important types of dietary fiber you will get from apples, and it is located in the peel.
Eating apples with the peel gives you an edge if you’re starting to take hypertension medications. It also contains quercetin, which is known as a hypertensive phytonutrient.
7. Carrots
There are many misunderstandings around carrots. These are not vegetables. They are tubers because they grow inside the soil. Another great misconception is that carrots are only useful for visual health. Quite the opposite, because they are antioxidant foods and provide plenty of vitamin C.
Carrots are also a source of dietary fiber and help patients with hypertension lower their blood pressure levels. Beta-carotenes in carrots are not only beneficial for visual health. As noted above, they are also related to a significant reduction in blood pressure levels.
8. Eggs
Eating eggs got a bad reputation for many years. People thought they increased blood lipid levels because eggs contain high cholesterol levels. But the truth is that cholesterol in eggs does not raise cholesterol levels in your blood unless you have a metabolic problem.
It is also a source of protein, which promotes weight loss and helps balance blood pressure levels. Of course, eggs are only one ingredient, and they are sometimes eaten with unhealthy foods. For example, hot sauce in scrambled eggs has a very high salt content and will probably counter the beneficial effect mentioned here.
9. Cherries
Berries are not the only healthy fruits. Cherries are also excellent in this regard. They lower your blood pressure levels if you eat a swoop every day. Cherries contain plenty of dietary fiber. They also have vitamin C and quercetin. These nutrients provide a robust antioxidant profile, which reduces metabolic and structural alterations in the blood vessels. As a result, it is not impressive that patients with hypertension reduce systolic blood pressure levels after consuming more cherries or the nutrients found in this fruit.
10. Pink grapefruit
If you start every day with grapefruit juice, you will probably begin to see a change in blood pressure measures after a while.
This citrus fruit contains plenty of vitamin C, but it also has lycopene. The antioxidant effect is very potent and reduces cardiovascular risk. In some cases, pink grapefruit can decrease blood pressure and stroke risk.
11. Flaxseed
Nuts and seeds make up an important part of a balanced diet, and one of the best options you can get to control blood pressure levels is flaxseed. They are versatile, and you can eat them in various meals.
Sprinkle flaxseeds in your oatmeal, in the salad, or blend it along with your smoothie. It provides plenty of dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They are helpful in preventing inflammation in the blood vessels and reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis. As such, continued use of flaxseeds in your diet may lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels.
12. Spinach
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach are also helpful in lowering blood pressure levels. It contains potassium, a mineral that counters sodium and contributes to maintaining blood pressure levels under control. It also has beta-carotene and vitamin C.
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory profiles of spinach make it an excellent food if you care for your cardiovascular risk. You can eat spinach in green smoothies, and it would be a great idea if you start every day with one of those.
13. Tomatoes
They are popular in the world of nutrition for their content of lycopene. This potent antioxidant is found in many red foods, including strawberries and watermelon. But tomatoes contain even more, and they are one of the richest sources.
Additionally, tomatoes contain vitamin C and quercetin, which contribute to the antioxidant profile of this food. Interestingly, lycopene in tomatoes is more bioavailable after cooking or processing. Thus, if you want to absorb more antioxidants and lower your blood pressure further, boil them and take them to the blender machine to create your own tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes.
14. Blueberries
If we talk about antioxidant foods, we can’t forget about blueberries. Despite their taste, blueberries have a low glycemic index. It means that they won’t increase your blood sugar levels in a spike. That is because they are high in fiber, which is known to help lowering blood pressure levels, too.
An interesting addition is resveratrol, the so-popular phytonutrient found in grapes and wine. So, instead of going for a glass of wine, you could simply take a handful of blueberries and get even more benefits every afternoon.
15. Red onion
You probably don’t want to stay with red onion breath on a romantic date, but whenever you can, adding red onions to your food can be a good idea if you want to keep blood pressure levels under control. This food has been found particularly useful in patients with pre-hypertension. In other words, if your blood pressure levels are borderline or a bit too high, this can be a very effective dietary change for you. One of the reasons is that onions contain quercetin. They also have phytonutrients that work directly in your blood vessels to protect them from endothelial dysfunction.
16. Swiss chard
After spinach, another leafy green you can consider is Swiss chard. It also contains plenty of potassium and even more magnesium. Both nutrients help you regulate your blood pressure. Magnesium, in particular, is excellent in this job. It acts in cell proteins known as calcium channel blockers. These proteins are essential to regulate calcium movement in and out of cells, inducing contraction in the blood vessels. That is how Swiss chard and other sources of magnesium improve blood pressure levels.
17. Beans and lentils
They are both useful because they have plenty of fiber. They also contain potassium and magnesium, with the benefits mentioned above.
These foods reduce systolic blood pressure while leaving diastolic blood pressure relatively intact.
18. Amaranth
This is a food you will likely try if you are trying to lose weight. It also helps you reduce your blood pressure levels by 8% if you eat around 30 grams every day.
One of the mechanisms is through increasing your magnesium intake. Only one cup of amaranth will give you close to 40% of your daily magnesium requirement.
19. Pistachio
We mentioned nuts and seeds as foods you want to have around at all times if you suffer from hypertension. One of the best nuts in this category is pistachios because they are very rich in potassium levels and contribute to regulating your blood pressure.
They reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and are apparently more effective in doing so than the rest of the nuts.
20. Celery
This is a popular vegetable in soups, and it is an essential ingredient in green smoothies. It helps you lowering blood pressure levels through phthalides, which are not the same as phthalates.
They are quite different because phthalides relax your blood vessels and help you maintain healthy blood pressure.
21. Herbs and spices
If you struggle with leaving salty foods, try to replace salt with herbs and spices. Many of them will help you lower your blood pressure levels while leaving your foods tasting amazing. We recommend black cumin, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, cilantro, celery seeds, ginseng, sweet basil, and cardamon. They all have the potential to lower blood pressure levels.
As you can probably see by now, there are a few nutrients that all of these foods have in common. They are beta-carotene, vitamin C, dietary fiber, resveratrol, antioxidants, potassium, and magnesium. Foods high in these nutrients are probably good for keeping your blood pressure at bay.
Remember that blood pressure depends on what you eat, but you may also need medications to keep it under control if you have an underlying condition. Talk to your doctor to see if that is your case, and remember that hypertension is an asymptomatic condition. You’re not expected to feel any symptoms unless it is entirely out of control.
You can eat your way out of hypertension sometimes. All you need is to include these foods as ingredients for your meals every day, reduce sodium consumption, and avoid salty foods and fast food, which usually contains plenty of salt.