If you have high blood pressure, don’t think in terms of following a diet but instead adopt a lifestyle change. Little nutrition facts and knowledge can go a long way in helping you to lower your blood pressure.
That’s why we bring you the best foods to eat when you have high blood pressure. They can help prevent some of the worse consequences associated with blood pressure. The foods are a healthful eating strategy you can take advantage of to manage it.
1. Oats
The popularity of oats is down to their rich, smooth, creamy texture after being prepared.
Oats belong to the family of Poaceae and are grown primarily for their edible starchy grains. Oats contain a high amount of beta-glucan fiber, which is beneficial and are widely cultivated in temperate regions.
According to research, Beta-glucan can help reduce hypertension. Oat is also a perfect choice because it is low in sodium.
Too much sodium in diets can elevate blood pressure and heart disease. That makes oat a healthy choice. They are an incredible source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and are a good source of protein with good nutrition value compared to other grains.
Oats are easy to prepare. They are easily obtainable in supermarkets. You can take oats with warm milk and fresh fruits in combination with nuts and seeds.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent choice of food to eat when you have high blood pressure because of its richness in natural calcium. It also contains many great additional nutrients that your body needs, like riboflavin, vitamin b12, and phosphorous.
According to Harvard Health, not enough calcium can contribute to high blood pressure.
An 8-ounce plain, low-fat yogurt provides 415 milligrams of calcium, almost one-third of an adult’s recommended daily value.
Since yogurt is known for containing a lot of calcium, a daily dose of yogurt will be a great choice of food for you if you have hypertension. It provides all the calcium your body requires to manage high blood pressure.
Yogurt contains a range of micronutrients, including magnesium and potassium, all of which are go-to nutrients in regulating blood pressure. It also contains bacteria that facilitate the release of proteins that help lower it to normal.
According to a study, small amounts of yogurt help lower blood pressure for people with elevated blood pressure.
The results were more remarkable for people who consumed yogurt regularly compared to those who did not drink it, with blood pressure readings close to seven points lower.
When next you go to the supermarket, choose plain, unsweetened yogurt because of its numerous health benefits whenever possible. Plain yogurt is a white, thick drink with a savory flavor without any additional colorings.
3. Beans
Beans contain a high amount of protein, fiber, magnesium, and potassium that help keep blood pressure in check and even lower it while restricting sugars and saturated fats.
Add beans to your favorite foods, such as rice, salads, and soups, to form a diet that will keep your blood pressure in check at all times.
4. Banana
According to Alicia McDonough, Ph.D., professor of cell and neurobiology at the University of Southern California (USC), eating potassium-rich foods like bananas could be vital to lowering blood pressure.
McDonough said that while decreasing sodium intake helps lower blood pressure, increasing dietary potassium might also have a similar effect on hypertension.
Banana fruits are low in sodium and are also a good source of potassium.
One banana has 451 mg of potassium. In addition to potassium, it is also rich in numerous like vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, and antioxidants.
These make the yellow, easy-to-peel curved shape fruit a better food to manage blood pressure.
There are different ways to incorporate more bananas into your diet. You can eat them fresh and raw, blend them as juice, or add them to cereal or a fruit salad. Whichever style you prefer, go ahead and enjoy the yellow fruit.
5. Carrot
Carrots are a staple veggie in many people’s diets. They are rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin K, beta-carotene, and calcium.
Carrots contain phenolic compounds, such as Caffeic acids, which may help lower blood pressure levels. A 1 mg/kg dose of caffeic acid lowers blood pressure for up to 20 s. The effect can last up to 2 minutes at 5 and 10 mg/kg.
Carrots are naturally sweet, and they have a distinct, nutty flavor that blends into a variety of dishes, either raw, boiled, fried, or even steamed.
You can also add carrots as an ingredient in soups and stews and baked foods, such as cakes and muffins.
Foods to avoid when you have high blood pressure
While some foods may relieve hypertension, others can cause substantial increases in blood pressure. Some foods also have a major effect on blood pressure.
Foods like salt, alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods with trans or saturated fat should be avoided. People can prevent or reduce high blood pressure by avoiding them.
Here are 4 kinds of foods to avoid when you’re trying to control your blood pressure.
1. Salt
Salt contains 40% sodium, and most of the sodium in our diet comes from salt. When you overeat diets with too much salt, it can significantly increase blood pressure.
So it is recommended to reduce your intake of salt to a minimum to manage blood pressure effectively.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol is also a bad idea, especially for people experiencing elevated blood pressure. Consuming excess alcohol can raise it to unhealthy levels.
In some cases, even people with low blood pressure can experience hypertension from alcohol consumption.
It is best to reduce the intake and only consume a moderate quantity if you want to lessen the risk of health problems in the long term.
3. Caffeine
While caffeine may have some health benefits, such as weight loss and alertness, it is recommended to stay clear of it when your blood pressure is higher than normal.
Research suggests that coffee may raise blood pressure levels for some hours after consumption.
4. Processed foods with trans or saturated fat
Consider going for the low-salt dietary approaches when you have hypertension. It’s the kind of diet that is rich in potassium, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients that are great in managing blood pressure.
The Dash diet is also low in sodium. They are good alternatives you can take advantage of.
Wrapping Up
As we have seen, some healthy diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can lower your blood pressure if you’re experiencing elevated blood pressure. This eating plan is also known as the DASH diet. In full, it means Dietary Approaches to Stop hypertension.
One way to achieve this is by talking to your doctor about the available healthy options, such as foods containing potassium.
Several studies have shown a connection between low potassium intake and increased blood pressure. So you may want to go for foods that contain enough potassium to help maintain it.
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
