Blood pressure refers to the force of your blood as it moves through the blood vessel walls of the body. A normal blood pressure for most people is around 120/80 millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg.
Systolic, or the measurement on top, refers to the force of the blood pumped out of the heart and into the arteries. Diastolic, the measurement on the bottom, refers to the pressure as the heart relaxes between beats. The American Academy of Cardiology and the American Heart Association currently consider high blood pressure — also called hypertension — to be anything above 130/80.
[READ: How to Spot the Signs of High Blood Pressure]
Diet and High Blood Pressure
Diet is one risk factor for high blood pressure that you can help control. High sodium intake, for instance, is associated with high blood pressure. Most American adults eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, though the AHA recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily, says Grace Derocha, a registered dietitian and Detroit-based national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
For some adults, no more than 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day is even better.
Processed foods, such as cold cuts, canned foods and frozen dinners, push the sodium count sky high for many Americans, adds Julie Brennan, a professor and registered dietitian with the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences in Toledo, Ohio.
The role of diet to control high blood pressure is so important that there is an eating plan called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — or DASH — diet that can lower your systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 8 to 14 mm Hg over time, says Dr. Icilma V. Fergus, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of the Mount Sinai Heart Center for Cardiovascular Disparities in New York City.
The DASH diet focuses on:
— Fruits
— Vegetables
— Low-fat dairy
These foods are usually higher in fiber and potassium, as well as other vitamins and minerals, all of which can help lower your blood pressure. One mineral, potassium, helps your body to get rid of blood pressure-raising sodium. Additionally, fiber helps to fill you up so you probably won’t eat as much, Fergus says.
Whether or not you follow DASH, you may want to know some specific foods to eat that can help lower your blood pressure.
These nine foods are a great place to start, as they are rich in potassium and fiber:
— Avocados
— Beans
— Berries
— Beets
— Dark, leafy greens
— Nuts and seeds
— Sweet potatoes
— Watermelon
[SEE: Worst Foods to Eat for Gut Health]
9 Foods That Help Lower Your Blood Pressure
1. Avocados
Half of an avocado has 487 milligrams of potassium, which helps to meet a recommended daily intake of 2,600 to 3,400 milligrams. That half of an avocado also has a little over two grams of fiber and healthy fats. Here are some ways to use avocados when prepping meals:
Make guacamole.
— Make avocado toast.
— Add avocado to salads.
— Add it to salsas.
— Put it in smoothies.
2. Beans
Beans are high in fiber and protein. There are many beans to choose from, from kidney beans to white beans to chickpeas and more. You can experiment to find which ones you like best. Beans are rich in potassium: A cup of white beans, for example, has 829 milligrams of potassium, Derocha says.
Here are a few ways you can add more beans to your diet:
— Make hummus with your favorite type of bean.
— Add beans to salads.
— Make black bean brownies. Have friends and family guess the secret ingredient in this fudge-like treat.
— Include beans in chili, soups and stews.
Tip: Rinse canned beans to help get rid of their excess salt, Brennan advises.
[Beans: Health Benefits, Recipes and Expert Advice]
3. Beets
When’s the last time you ate beets? This deep-red vegetable is full of health benefits, including the potential to lower your blood pressure. Per a 1-cup serving, beets have almost 4 grams of fiber. That fiber will make you less likely to fill up on processed foods and allow for better waste elimination from your body, Fergus says. Here are a few different ways to incorporate beets into your diet:
— Add beets to salads or make salads that focus on beets as the main ingredient.
— Put cut-up beets in soups.
— Make a beet hummus.
— Prepare tasty roasted beets.
4. Berries
Blackberries, blueberries
, raspberries and strawberries are high in fiber and full of antioxidants, which help fight aging, says Dr. Nicole M. Weinberg, a cardiologist with Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
Berries also can help reduce blood pressure. Here are a few ways to incorporate berries into your daily meals:
— Add them to salads or make your own berry salad.
— Include them in low-sugar fruit crisps.
— Make smoothies with berries.
5. Dark, leafy greens
Dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach are chock full of fiber, healthy vitamins and minerals such as potassium. If you’re not sure how you prefer to eat greens, there are many ways you can prepare them:
— Use them in salads.
— Add them to smoothies.
— Prep pasta dishes that include dark, leafy greens, or mix them into the sauce.
— Blanch, broil, boil, saute or steam your greens.
6. Fatty fish
Fatty fish like salmon has several heart-boosting benefits beyond just lowering blood pressure. They also can reduce inflammation and decrease triglycerides (a type of fat
found in the blood).
Fatty fish also have omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found in studies to reduce blood pressure if you consume 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily.
For comparison, a 3-ounce serving of salmon contains about 2.3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids.
Other good fatty fish to help lower your blood pressure include:
— Mackerel
— Oysters
— Sardines
— Tuna
— Trout
7. Nuts and seeds
Snack away on your choice of nuts
and seeds if you’re looking to lower your blood pressure. That’s because these healthy foods can help you control your hypertension.
“Nuts and seeds contain magnesium, potassium and healthy fats, all of which support vascular relaxation and reduce blood pressure,” Derocha says.
The word vascular refers to the vessels in your body.
Some nuts and seeds you may want to try for better blood pressure control include:
— Almonds
— Chia seeds
— Flaxseeds
— Walnuts
8. Sweet potatoes
The versatile sweet potato has 541 milligrams of potassium and nearly 4 grams of fiber. Here are several different ways to prep sweet potatoes so you can add them to your daily meals:
— Mash sweet potatoes together with mashed carrots.
— Add sweet potatoes to potato hash.
— Slice and roast them with a little olive oil and rosemary.
9. Watermelon
Watermelon isn’t just a refreshing, natural treat. It’s also low in calories
and high in potassium, packing in 640 milligrams per each 2-cup serving. Although watermelon tastes great simply as a snack, there are other ways you can get creative with it:
— Add watermelon to salads.
— Try grilling it.
— Freeze it to serve watermelon cubes as a frozen treat.
— Add watermelon to smoothies.
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Foods for Hypertension originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/03/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
