As a nutritionist, I see countless cases of clients with high blood pressure. With heart disease being one of the leading preventable causes of death, adopting prevention or proper management strategies for high blood pressure can indeed be a life-changing decision.
If you have high blood pressure, you might be curious whether medication is necessary. And sometimes, it is! However, in my experience with my clients, diet can be highly effective in reducing blood pressure. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help control blood pressure and might prevent, delay, or reduce the need for medication. If you are already taking blood pressure medication, then making these changes can help with your overall health and improve the effectiveness of the meds.
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries. It’s important to keep it normal for blood to flow properly from the heart to the rest of the body. If blood pressure is too high, it can harm the arteries and organs over time. The higher it is and the longer it’s uncontrolled, the more damage it can cause. High blood pressure can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes.
If blood pressure is too low, your organs might not get enough oxygen and nutrients, which can cause shock. This needs urgent medical help. Signs of shock include cold, sweaty skin, fast breathing, a bluish skin color, or a weak and fast pulse.
You can reduce high blood pressure by making some lifestyle changes like eating healthy with less salt, losing weight, staying active, and stopping tobacco use. Let’s look more specifically at what foods and diets to adopt if you need to regulate your blood pressure.
FAQ: How common is high blood pressure?
Around 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 worldwide have high blood pressure, with most living in low- and middle-income countries. About 46% of them don’t know they have it. Less than half (42%) of those with high blood pressure receive a diagnosis and treatment. Only about 1 in 5 (21%) have it under control. High blood pressure is a major cause of early deaths around the world. A global goal is to reduce the number of people with high blood pressure by 33% from 2010 to 2030.
FAQ: How common is low blood pressure?
Low blood pressure often has no symptoms, so it’s hard to know how many people it affects. But, as people age, orthostatic hypotension becomes more common. About 5% of people have it at age 50, and more than 30% of those over 70 experience it.
Understanding Blood Pressure and Its Importance
For most adults, normal blood pressure is when systolic pressure is less than 120 and diastolic pressure is less than 80. If your systolic pressure is between 120 and 129 and your diastolic pressure is less than 80, it’s considered elevated blood pressure. High blood pressure is when the systolic pressure is 130 or higher or the diastolic pressure is 80 or higher.
Researchers discovered that lowering blood pressure can decrease the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, and death by 30-40%. This was the first time an intervention also showed it could lower the risk of memory loss and dementia by nearly 20%.
Top Foods That Promote Healthy Blood Pressure
Fruit and vegetables
Research, some of which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, suggests that beetroot juice might help lower blood pressure. Beetroot juice is full of nitrates, which are thought to help reduce blood pressure. However, nitrates can also be found in other fruits and vegetables like spinach, celery, kale, bananas, and strawberries.
Fruits and vegetables also give us potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. It’s better to get potassium from food rather than supplements, as too much can be dangerous, especially for people with kidney issues or those on certain medications. Only take potassium supplements if your doctor says so.
Wholegrains
Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread, and oats have more nutrients and fiber than refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice. Eating more fiber can lower the risk of heart and circulation problems. Oats contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucans that might help reduce blood pressure. If you’re trying to lose weight, eating more fiber can also help lower your blood pressure. You can also add other high-fiber foods like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
Lean protein
Lean proteins have fewer calories than fatty ones but still keep you full. This can help with weight control, which may lower blood pressure. Try picking chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and beans instead of red or processed meats.
Low-fat dairy
Adding milk and dairy products to a healthy diet might help lower blood pressure. These foods have important nutrients like calcium, which can reduce blood pressure. Tip: Choose low-fat options like semi-skimmed milk and natural yogurt for calcium and protein without too much saturated fat.
Leafy Greens
Swiss chard and spinach are leafy greens that might help lower blood pressure. They’re rich in nutrients like potassium and magnesium, which are important for keeping blood pressure in check. For example, a cup of cooked Swiss chard provides 20% of your daily potassium and 36% of your daily magnesium needs. Spinach also contains a plant compound called nitrate that might help reduce blood pressure.
Berries
Anthocyanins are substances that can boost nitric oxide levels in the blood and decrease the creation of things that limit blood flow. This might help lower blood pressure, but more human studies are needed to be sure. Some berries that might help reduce blood pressure include blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, red grapes, and cranberries.
A 2020 review of studies showed that different kinds of berries, whether whole, freeze-dried, or in juice form, lowered systolic blood pressure by more than 3 mm Hg. Cranberry juice had the biggest impact in this study.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are a great source of omega-3 fats, which are really good for your heart. These fats can help lower blood pressure by reducing inflammation. In 2022, a study reviewed data from 71 studies involving 4,973 people to see how omega-3 fats from food or supplements affect blood pressure. The best results for lowering blood pressure happened with a daily intake of 2 to 3 grams of omega-3 fats, which is about what you’d get from a 3.5-ounce piece of salmon.Â
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds can help lower blood pressure. Some good options to include in a diet aimed at reducing blood pressure are pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, pistachios, walnuts, and almonds. These foods are rich in nutrients like fiber and arginine. Arginine is an important amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.
Garlic
Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for a long time as a natural way to lower blood pressure. Recent studies show it can be quite effective, even working as well as some medications, but with fewer side effects.
One major review of top-quality studies found that garlic supplements could lower both the top and bottom numbers of blood pressure readings by 6.7 and 4.8 mmHg. The participants in these studies took 188–2,400 mg of garlic powder or aged garlic extracts daily for 8–12 weeks.
Other studies have found similar results, with blood pressure dropping by 2.5–11.2 mm Hg after taking 600–2,400 mg of garlic powder daily for 8–24 weeks.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, is a healthy choice for many reasons. It can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Nutrients like oleic acid and polyphenols in olive oil contribute to these health benefits. The ancient Greeks called olive oil an “elixir of youth and health,” and modern research supports its benefits in our diets. EVOO is a key part of the Mediterranean diet and is linked to longer life in southern Europe. It is rich in monounsaturated fat, which can reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and boost “good” HDL cholesterol. It also helps lower blood pressure and contains compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can fight diseases, including heart disease.Â
Tomatoes
Tomatoes and tomato products are packed with nutrients like potassium and lycopene, a red pigment. Lycopene is linked to good heart health and might lower risks of heart disease, such as high blood pressure. However, lycopene is more bioavailable to the body when the tomato has been cooked in some way, so why not drizzle a little olive oil on your tomatoes and oven-bake them with some delicious feta cheese?
What else can help lower my blood pressure?
Lowering blood pressure isn’t just about diet. It’s important to take any prescribed medications and think about other helpful changes such as meditation, gentle exercise, and ditching cigarettes and alcohol.
What should I eat if I have low blood pressure?
If you have low blood pressure, staying hydrated is important because dehydration can lead to lower blood volume and cause blood pressure to drop. This is especially true when exercising. Eating foods rich in vitamin B-12 can also help because too little of this vitamin can cause a type of anemia that leads to low blood pressure and tiredness. You can find B-12 in eggs, fortified cereals, meat, and nutritional yeast. Folate is another important nutrient. Not getting enough folate can also lead to anemia. Folate-rich foods include leafy greens, asparagus, beans and lentils, and eggs.
Incorporating Blood Pressure-Friendly Foods into Your Diet
It’s easy enough to give a list of foods that have shown potential for lowering blood pressure, but sometimes, that doesn’t help when looking into a specific heart-healthy diet. There are two diets that I believe are particularly effective when it comes to maintaining healthy blood pressure. One is the DASH diet, which the American Heart Association recommends, and the other is the Mediterranean diet. Let’s look at how both these diets work.
The DASH Eating Plan
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It’s a healthy eating plan designed to prevent or manage high blood pressure. It can also help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), which is linked to heart problems. High blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol are key risks for heart disease and stroke.
The DASH diet includes foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It has a strong focus on vegetables, fruits, high-fiber legumes, and whole grains. You can eat fat-free or low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. The diet limits foods high in salt and saturated fats, like fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
The DASH diet is a balanced plan that provides food choices for a heart-healthy lifestyle. You don’t need special foods; everything you need is available at grocery stores and restaurants. The DASH diet suggests six to eight servings of whole grains per day, four to five servings of vegetables, two to three of fruit and dairy, six ounces or less of lean meats or fish daily, four to five servings of nuts and seeds per week and 2 to three teaspoons of heart-friendly fats like extra virgin olive oil per day.
How can I cut down on hidden salt in my diet?
To reduce salt intake, choose low-salt or no-salt-added foods by reading labels. Enhance flavor with salt-free spices and avoid adding salt when cooking rice, pasta, or hot cereals. Opt for plain, fresh, or frozen vegetables, and select skinless chicken, fish, and lean meats. Limit restaurant dining, and when you do eat out, request meals with less salt and ask for no extra salt to be added.
The Mediterranean Diet
Every year, the Mediterranean diet ranks highest in the U.S. News and World Report as one of the best diets. Experts judge different diets based on healthiness, effectiveness, and ease of following. Many health groups and dietitians also say it’s one of the healthiest options. But does it really deserve this praise? The Mediterranean diet is a general term for the traditional foods eaten in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Eating habits vary due to culture, religion, geography, and farming. Still, there are some common themes in these diets.
A Mediterranean-style diet usually has lots of fruits, vegetables, bread, grains, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds. Extra virgin olive oil is the main fat used. People eat dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry in small to medium amounts, with fish and poultry being more common than red meat. The diet focuses on fresh, plant-based foods, and people may have wine in small quantities with meals. Instead of sweets, people often eat fruit for dessert.
Eating this way can help prevent heart disease and stroke and reduce risks like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Some studies show that a Mediterranean diet with lots of virgin olive oil might help clear extra cholesterol from arteries and keep blood vessels healthy.Â
Does the AHA recommend eating a Mediterranean diet?
While the AHA recommends the DASH diet primarily, a Mediterranean diet can help you follow the American Heart Association’s healthy eating guidelines. It focuses on eating lots of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. It also includes low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, oils, and nuts while limiting added sugars and processed foods.
Finally, What foods should I avoid if I have high blood pressure?
Foods with added salt: We should eat no more than 6g of salt daily, which is about a teaspoon, but many of us eat more than that. Most salt is already in foods we buy, like olives, chips, sauces, and pickles. It’s also in processed meats like ham, bacon, and sausages, along with bread and breakfast cereals.
Sugary and fatty foods: Sugar and fat might not directly affect blood pressure, but high-sugar and high-fat foods have lots of calories. Eating too many can cause weight gain, which is linked to high blood pressure.
Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure.
If you drink, do it in moderation. Too much can raise blood pressure and lead to weight gain over time.
Excess caffeine: Caffeine can raise blood pressure, but its effect is usually short-lived and lessens with regular intake. A moderate amount shouldn’t be a problem for most people. However, some people are more sensitive, and drinking too much might affect blood pressure.