Commonly referred to as high blood pressure, hypertension is a dangerous medical condition that, if left unchecked, can cause some complications.
The foods you eat can have a significant impact on your body and your blood pressure. Foods heavy in sugar, salt, and bad fats can raise blood pressure, which can be dangerous for your heart.
Your blood pressure can remain within a healthy range by limiting these foods and swapping them out for healthier options.
It’s important to remember that while diet plays a crucial role in managing blood pressure, it should be part of a larger lifestyle approach including regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and avoiding tobacco.
These 12 foods have the natural ability to lower blood pressure.
1. Carrots
Carrots are rich in phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids, which can relax blood vessels, reduce inflammation, and subsequently, lower blood pressure levels.
2. Bananas
Bananas are full of potassium, a crucial mineral for blood pressure control. Potassium helps to balance sodium in your body and promotes the elimination of excess sodium.
3. Beans and Lentils
A cup of peas, lentils, garbanzo beans, or other beans per day could help keep your blood pressure in check. Rich in fiber, these legumes also contribute to the prevention of coronary heart disease.
4. Berries
Berries, especially blueberries, are packed with flavonoids. These natural compounds might help prevent hypertension and lower blood pressure.
5. Pistachios
Pistachios seem to have a more potent effect on blood pressure than other nuts. Studies have found that consuming pistachios can modestly reduce blood pressure levels.
6. Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene, a nutrient that could help lower cholesterol, prevent skin damage, and decrease blood pressure.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, is a good source of three minerals important for regulating blood pressure: magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Broccoli sprouts contain compounds that may reduce hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
8. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt, a probiotic-rich fermented milk, may help lower blood pressure. Research has found that fermented milk with probiotics can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
9. Herbs and Spices
Several herbs and spices may help lower your blood pressure, including basil, parsley, celery seeds, Chinese cat’s claw, Bacopa monnieri, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
10. Salmon
Salmon’s fats may reduce blood pressure levels by decreasing inflammation and blood-vessel-constricting compounds called oxylipins. Research links higher intakes of omega-3-rich fatty fish to lower blood pressure levels.
11. Spinach
In addition to potassium, spinach is enriched with heart-friendly nutrients like folate and magnesium, as well as lutein, which can help prevent the thickening of artery walls, thereby reducing the risk of strokes and hypertension.
12. Beets
Beets contain high levels of nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes and widens blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
