There is no particular measurement to define low blood pressure. However, most healthcare practitioners consider blood pressure under 120/80 to be lower than usual. The characteristics include light-headedness, dizziness, racing heart and fatigue. Doctors usually prescribe a diet food for low blood pressure apart from medication. This diet depends on the severity of the condition in patients. The following list will give you a fair idea regarding effective food types for low blood pressure.
1. Salty Food
Extra salty food items can be considered as good food for low blood pressure. This is because salt or sodium chloride is responsible for affecting hormones that control the water balance in the human body. High salt intake can therefore boost blood pressure. You can include the following ways to incorporate more salt into your daily diet.
- Preparing saltwater by adding a pinch of salt in a glass of water
- Adding more salt in food seasonings
- Eating olives or anchovies, which are salty foods
- Eating salted nuts as snacks
Apart from this, you can include food items such as canned soup, smoked fish, pickled items and cottage cheese, as these are salty. These can serve as tasty and effective foods for low BP in your diet.
2. Folate Food
Folate is a vital B vitamin responsible for producing white and red blood cells in the marrow. Thus, having a significant amount of folate can be helpful for people suffering from low blood pressure issues. Food items such as beef liver and green vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, asparagus, dark leafy greens, are often considered as things to eat in low BP since these have rich folate content. You can also try oranges, beans, nuts, peas, and other folate-rich foods, including orange juice.
3. Vitamin B12 Food
Doctors often consider items with rich Vitamin B12 as the best food for low blood pressure. As a higher plasma homocysteine level is linked to blood pressure, the intake of Vitamin B12 contributes to low blood pressure by reducing this level. Dairy products are affluent in Vitamin B12, such as yoghurt, low-fat milk, fortified plant-based milk, and cheese. Moreover, food items such as eggs, fortified cereals and nutritional yeast are other foods to eat in low BP since these are rich in Vitamin B12.
4. Fluids
Doctors often suggest customising the diets of low blood pressure patients with more fluid contents. There are chances that your blood pressure might drop if your body is dehydrated. Thus, if you are looking for foods for low blood pressure, make sure that you drink enough water and other beverages in your daily diet. Generally, doctors suggest an intake of a minimum of two litres of water in a day, which should increase in hot weather.
5. Caffeine
Food and drinks with high caffeine contents can be suitable foods to eat for low BP. Some researchers believe that caffeine can block a hormone that keeps your arteries widened. Moreover, it can also cause a higher release of adrenalin, increasing blood pressure. Thus, drinking beverages with high caffeine can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure by increasing the heart rate, effective for patients suffering from low blood pressure.