11 Best Healthy Foods for Hypertension

Eating a heart-healthy diet could assist in lowering blood pressure. Consuming foods high in minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, may be especially beneficial.

The most prevalent avoidable risk factor for heart disease is hypertension, or high blood pressure. Worldwide, over 1 billion people suffer from high blood pressure. It is described as having a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of at least 130 mm Hg, a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of at least 80 mm Hg, or both.

A change in food and way of living can also help lower blood pressure and lower your chance of developing heart disease. A doctor may also recommend angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or other drugs to lower blood pressure.


Consuming specific foods—particularly those high in potassium and magnesium—may help reduce blood pressure. These are the top 11 best foods for high blood pressure.

Citrus Fruits

Fruits with citrus peels may reduce blood pressure. They include a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals that may protect your heart by lowering heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.

Among the citrus fruits are:

  • Lemons 
  • Grapefruit 
  • Oranges

The researchers discovered that consuming four oranges or around 530 to 600 grams of fruit a day helped control blood pressure. Citrus fruits in particular have been associated by researchers with a decreased risk of hypertension 

Fishes that is high in fat, such as Salmon

Omega-3 fatty acids have major heart health benefits, and fatty fish is a great source of them. Because they decrease inflammation, these fats might aid in decreasing blood pressure.

A daily intake of 2 to 3 grams of omega-3 fats, or roughly 3.5 ounces of salmon, showed the greatest benefit for decreasing blood pressure. Higher consumption of omega-3 fats, such as those found in fish, may also reduce the risk of high blood pressure in young adults who have never had diabetes or heart disease.

Leafy Greens


Two leafy greens that may help decrease blood pressure are spinach and Swiss chard. These leafy greens are a good source of minerals like magnesium and potassium that help maintain normal blood pressure. A cup (175 grams) of cooked Swiss chard, for example, provides 20% and 36% of your daily requirements for magnesium and potassium, respectively 

Every 1 gram increase in daily potassium from the food was associated with a 2.4 mm Hg reduction in SBP in females with high salt levels from their diet.

Leafy greens like spinach are rich in nitrate, a plant-based substance that has the potential to decrease blood pressure. Antioxidants, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are also abundant in it.

Nuts and seeds

It's possible that nuts and seeds lower blood pressure. Nuts and seeds that can be consumed as part of a well-balanced diet to decrease blood pressure include:

  • Seeds of pumpkins
  • Flaxseed
  • Chia seeds
  • Pistachios
  • Almonds
  • Walnuts

Numerous nuts and seeds include a concentrated form of nutrients, such as fiber and arginine, that are crucial for controlling blood pressure. Nitric oxide, a necessary substance for blood vessel relaxation and blood pressure decrease, is produced by the amino acid arginine 

Clinical studies provide conflicting results about the association between consuming nuts or seeds and lowering blood pressure, despite some research to that effect.

Lugumes

Legumes Rich in minerals like potassium and magnesium that lower blood pressure, legumes are a great source of these nutrients. Legumes may help lower high blood pressure levels.
Among legumes are:

  • Legumes
  • Beans
  • Peas

Olive oil

Among the many health advantages of olive tree fruit oil are its ability to decrease blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors. Olive oil can be a helpful component of a diet that tries to control blood pressure because of its nutrients and plant-based substances, such as the omega-9 fat oleic acid and antioxidant polyphenols 

Carrots

Carrots are a common vegetable in many diets because they are sweet, crunchy, and nutrient-dense. Carrots are rich in phytochemicals that may play a role in blood pressure regulation and other health processes.

Eggs

In addition to being high in nutrients, studies indicate that eggs may be included in a well-balanced diet to help control blood pressure.

Eating five or more eggs per week was associated with an SBP level that was 2.5 mm Hg lower than those who ate fewer than half an egg per week. Additionally, long-term development of high blood pressure was much less likely in egg eaters.

Additionally, eating eggs does not seem to be associated with any other heart disease risk factors outside blood pressure, and the most recent research appears to support healthy individuals consuming up to three.

Broccoli 

Broccoli is well-known for its numerous health benefits, some of which include improved vascular function. For instance, include this cruciferous vegetable in your diet could be a wise strategy to lower blood pressure.

Because broccoli is high in flavonoid antioxidants, which improve blood vessel function and raise nitric oxide levels in the body, it may help decrease blood pressure 

Lean meats

Any meat that has less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams (about a 3.5-ounce portion) is classified as "lean meat".

Any of the following meat or poultry dishes that include high-quality protein and nutrients important for controlling blood pressure might be considered lean animal proteins:

  • Skinless chicken breast 
  • 93% lean ground turkey
  • Beef tenderloin

Kiwifruit

In addition to having a remarkably high vitamin C content, kiwis also include fiber, potassium, magnesium, and other elements that help control blood pressure.

They also offer a variety of antioxidant and polyphenolic chemicals derived from plants. For this reason, scientists think kiwifruit may help reduce blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors.

The potential significance of kiwis in lowering blood pressure may be confirmed by longer-term, larger-scale research with a greater number of participants.

In summary

In addition to other lifestyle changes, a nutritious diet can dramatically lower blood pressure and lessen your risk of heart disease.

A couple of the foods on this article's list may help lower your blood pressure or maintain a healthy blood pressure level if you currently have high blood pressure. When making big dietary changes, it can be prudent to see a physician or qualified dietitian.
Comments