If your systolic blood pressure is above 130 mm Hg and your diastolic blood pressure is above 80 mm Hg, healthcare professionals conclude that you have hypertension.
In this condition, they recommend that you switch to a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet as it contains lower amounts of salt and sugar.
Additionally, they encourage including potassium and magnesium-rich foods in your diet, as these nutrients can reduce blood pressure.
Further, you should follow a ‘heart-healthy’ diet rich in potassium to lower your BP. For your convenience, we have enlisted some foods good for high blood pressure, sorted from most effective to least with respect to potassium’s Daily Value or DV:
1. Sundried Tomatoes
This food item delivers the highest content of potassium. A 100g serving of sundried tomatoes provides a 73% Daily Value of potassium.
In addition to this, sundried tomatoes contain a carotenoid pigment named lycopene that has a positive impact on heart health. As a result, it reduces the risk of heart diseases.
2. Bananas
An adult requires about 4700mg of potassium every day. Therefore, individuals with high blood pressure must eat bananas daily as the fruit contains potassium, which plays a significant role in managing hypertension. Additionally, potassium in bananas eliminates the effects of sodium and relaxes the walls of blood vessels.
A medium-sized banana contains 422mg of potassium, accounting for 32% of its Daily Value. Therefore, this is an ideal food for high blood pressure individuals.
3. Pumpkin Seeds
Experts recommend including pumpkin seeds in a high blood pressure patient’s diet due to their nutritional value. These seeds have potassium that helps in maintaining the blood pressure level. Moreover, pumpkin seeds deliver 20% of potassium’s DV.
Further, these come with arginine, an amino acid that helps in producing nitric oxide. It helps in relaxing the blood vessels, which in turn reduces blood pressure.
4. Beets
Regular consumption of beetroot juice has a positive impact on your BP as it contains inorganic nitrates. Inorganic nitrate is another component that helps in reducing blood pressure.
In fact, studies indicate that an intake of a cup of beetroot juice every day results in a blood pressure drop of 8/4 mm Hg.
Additionally, cooked beet greens cover 19% of the Daily Value of potassium. On the other hand, the same accounts for 16% in the case of raw beet greens. Thus, individuals planning to switch to a healthy diet regime to reduce hypertension must include beetroot in their meals.
5. Fatty Fish
A heart-healthy diet is incomplete without the inclusion of fatty fish, such as salmon. It contains essential nutrients such as proteins and omega 3-fatty acids. These acids can reduce high BP by decreasing inflammation and oxylipins concentration in blood that constricts blood vessels.
Worth noting that a 100g serving of salmon delivers almost 20g of protein. Also, 100g serving of wild Atlantic salmon covers 13% of potassium’s DV.
6. Spinach
This green leafy vegetable is loaded with minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium. As a result, it is an excellent food for high blood pressure patients. Moreover, it covers 12% DV of potassium.
As per research, an individual consuming 500ml spinach soup can experience a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Additionally, spinach is rich in nitrates and helps reduce the stiffness of blood vessels, which lowers BP.
7. Swiss Chard
This leafy vegetable contains a high amount of nutrients that control your blood pressure. It is packed with potassium and magnesium. Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker that restricts the movement of calcium into heart and arterial cells. As a result, it alleviates tension in the blood vessels.
Hence, one must consume a cup of cooked chard as it provides 17% and 30% of your daily potassium and magnesium needs. It also delivers 12% of potassium’s DV.
8. Garlic
Garlic enhances the production of nitric oxide in your body that helps in relaxing the muscles and dilating the blood vessels. Therefore, researchers claim that garlic reduces both systolic and diastolic pressures.
Furthermore, it is advisable to include garlic in your diet by adding it to your cooked meals as it is antibiotic as well as antifungal. Besides, it accounts for 9% of potassium’s Daily Value.
9. Chia and Flax Seeds
Chia and flax seeds are rich in potassium, magnesium, and fibre. These nutrients play a key role in blood pressure regulation. In addition, research reveals that 35g of chia seed flour can lower blood pressure in medicated as well as unmedicated persons.
Chia seeds also contain potassium which accounts for 9% of its DV. Therefore, adding chia seeds to your breakfast bowl will reduce your blood pressure and prevent heart diseases.
10. Berries and Strawberries
Packed with antioxidants like anthocyanins, berries and strawberries reduce hypertension, thereby keeping one’s heart health in check. According to research, there was an 8% reduction in blood pressure among patients consuming berries on a daily basis.
Furthermore, this food item is ideal for vegans and vegetarians who do not consume fatty fish. The potassium content in this food item accounts for its 6% DV.
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