12 Foods That Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

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You've probably heard that fruits and vegetables are good for your heart - and that too much fat, sugar, and salt can be harmful. But have you ever wondered which foods can lower your blood pressure?

Many foods can be part of a heart-healthy diet. Here are 12 science-backed suggestions for nutritious foods that can help lower blood pressure.

1. Yogurt

Yogurt contains important minerals that help to regulate blood pressure, like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It also has probiotics, which are live bacteria or yeast. Probiotics have been shown to improve blood pressure if included in a person's diet for 8 weeks or more. More research is needed to say whether there's a difference between eating low-fat and full-fat yogurt, when it comes to lowering blood pressure.

2. Bananas

Bananas are packed with potassium. Potassium helps your blood pressure in two ways:

1. It relaxes your blood vessels.

2. It helps your body get rid of excess sodium.

Eating a medium-sized banana provides you with up to 16% of the recommended daily intake of potassium for women and up to 11% for men. But it's important to know that if you have kidney disease, you may need to limit potassium-rich foods in your diet.

3. Berries

Berries - like blueberries, raspberries, and chokeberries - contain flavonoids called anthocyanins. These flavonoids have been proven in several studies to lower blood pressure.

In fact, eating just one serving of blueberries a week can lower your risk of developing high blood pressure. The timing of this effect is unclear. But some people may have lower blood pressure in as little as 4 weeks. Some research suggests that the effect is even greater in people who already have high blood pressure.

4. Leafy greens

Leafy greens - like collards, cabbage, spinach, and kale - are rich in nitrates. Your body turns nitrates into nitric oxide, which helps to relax your blood vessels. Research supports eating 1 cup of leafy greens per day to lower your blood pressure and decrease your risk of heart disease.

5. Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in both flavonoids and nitric oxide. Each of these help lower blood pressure, as explained above. Eating broccoli at least four times or more a week can decrease blood pressure, compared to eating it less often (like once a month), according to one study. Another study showed that eating about 1.5 cups of broccoli daily protected blood vessels in older women.

6. Beets

Beets are high in nitrates and antioxidants, which is why some people call them a "superfood." Most studies on the health benefits of beets look at beet juice. Compared to whole beets, beet juice seems to have a bigger impact on blood pressure. But adding whole beets to your plate is also beneficial.

You can eat them raw, boiled, or baked. Eating about 1 cup of beets per day can lower your blood pressure in as little as 8 weeks, according to one study.

7. Pistachios

Eating pistachios may help lower blood pressure, although scientists aren't 100% sure why. Some experts think it has to do with the monounsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols in pistachios.

Eating one serving daily (about 50 pistachios) has been shown to help with reducing blood pressure. But it's important not to overdo it, since researchers saw that eating two or more servings in a day started to have the opposite effect.

8. Whole grains

Whole grains - like brown rice, oatmeal, and bran - have been shown to decrease blood pressure. Like with pistachios, scientists aren't sure why this happens.

In a study of middle-aged men and women, consuming three portions of whole grains a day led to lower blood pressure. Another study had people eating only one to two servings a day. Their blood pressure declined further with two to four or more servings a day, even after just 1 week.

9. Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, a compound that helps blood vessels relax and lowers blood pressure. A large analysis showed that garlic lowers blood pressure in people with and without high blood pressure. But several of these studies suggest that taking garlic supplements - rather than fresh or cooked garlic alone - is needed to really see an effect.

10. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is another food that contains flavonoids. Some studies have shown that eating one square daily may have a small impact on blood pressure. Experts disagree, though, on whether this is a meaningful effect.

But dark chocolate is included in this list as a healthier alternative to other sweets. If you have a sweet tooth, a piece of dark chocolate that's rich in cocoa and low in sugar may satisfy your craving and lower your blood pressure.

11. Olive oil

Olive oil is the main fat component of the Mediterranean diet, a diet high in fiber and unsaturated fats. This diet has many health benefits, including protecting against heart disease and high blood pressure and reducing the risk for certain cancers.

Experts think the antihypertensive effects of olive oil come from its high oleic acid and polyphenols content. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), in particular, has more phenols due to how it's processed. But researchers haven't yet found definitive advantages of EVOO over refined olive oil.

A 2022 study found that people who consumed more than ½ tbsp of olive oil each day lowered their risk for cardiovascular disease by almost 20%.

12. Tomatoes

Your favorite tomato sauce contains lycopene. This plant chemical gives tomatoes their red color and acts as an antioxidant to prevent inflammation and cell damage. Experts think lycopene can help to reduce blood pressure.

In a study published in the European Journal of Cardiology, researchers found that people who ate more than 110 g of tomato (about one large tomato) per day had a 36% reduced risk of developing high blood pressure. These researchers also found that people who already had stage 1 hypertension lowered their blood pressure with moderate tomato consumption.

Which foods should you avoid if you want to lower blood pressure?

While certain foods may help lower or maintain your blood pressure, other foods may increase your risk for hypertension. Here are some foods to avoid if you want to lower your blood pressure:

• Salty foods: Sodium (salt) causes you to hold onto water, among other issues, and can raise blood pressure. Avoiding salty snacks, processed foods, and cured meats can help keep blood pressure lower. Consider salt alternatives to lower your salt intake.

• Fatty foods: Researchers have found associations between fat intake and high blood pressure, especially with saturated and trans-fatty acids. Staying away from fried foods and red meat can help prevent hypertension.

• Caffeine:Caffeine has a number of effects on the cardiovascular system, including causing a temporary rise in blood pressure. Moderate caffeine intake may have some health benefits. But, if you already have hypertension, limiting intake is important.

• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol can lead to long-term health consequences. High blood pressure is among them. It's especially important to limit alcohol if you already have high blood pressure.

How long does it take to lower blood pressure with diet?

It's hard to know how long it'll take to lower your blood pressure through dietary changes. This is because most studies look at the effects of food over short periods of time, like 4 to 8 weeks. Also, while the benefits of some foods have been easy to measure, others aren't as clear. Plus, any effect from a particular food will partly depend on how often you eat that food.

Rather than eating more of just one specific food, it may be better to eat a variety of the foods mentioned above. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH diet) is a good place to start for people with high blood pressure. And it's been shown to help lower a person's blood pressure in as little as 1 to 2 weeks.

Remember, diet plays an important role in cardiovascular health. But most people with high blood pressure will need additional treatment to keep it in a normal range.

Can you lower your blood pressure with diet alone?

Adding many of the above foods to your diet may have noticeable, but small, effects on blood pressure.

"For most people with high blood pressure, dietary changes will not lower blood pressure more than 5 to 10 points," said Dr. Sarah Samaan, a board-certified cardiologist for over 30 years. "Following a healthy diet and exercising may reduce the amount of medication required. But unless your numbers are borderline, you will probably also need medication."

Needing medication doesn't mean you're not doing enough when it comes to diet and physical exercise. As with many conditions, it's the combination of medication and lifestyle changes that's most beneficial. Your healthcare team can help you find the best approach for you.

When to talk to your doctor about high blood pressure

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, be sure your healthcare team gives you a clear roadmap with the next steps in treatment and checkups. For example, if your blood pressure numbers aren't too high, they may recommend a diet and exercise plan. They'll also have you follow up in about 4 weeks to see if you've made any progress. If your blood pressure numbers haven't changed or remain high, they may add medication. And if that's the case, you'll want to continue to have regular check-ins with them once a month until your blood pressure is in the target range and remains stable. Then, you can spread out your visits to every 3 to 6 months. It's important to continue the conversation to make sure that you stay on track over time.

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