Though it’s not an exhaustive list, these are some of the foods that have the potential to help with high blood pressure.
When you’re dealing with high blood pressure, every meal can feel like a battle. If you’re taking medication to regulate your blood pressure, you might even be looking for ways to get off of them. Thankfully, there are foods that can help you naturally lower your blood pressure.
Yogurt
Yogurt is great for lowering blood pressure because it has calcium, potassium, and magnesium — all of which have been shown to lower blood pressure. Yogurt is also full of probiotics that support gut health. Probiotics are also considered to be good for lowering blood pressure, giving yogurt an edge.
Dark Chocolate
Cacao is a flavonoid that helps to lower blood pressure—it’s an antioxidant that dilates the blood vessels. Cacao is abundant in dark chocolate—it’s best to choose one that is 70-85% cacao. It’s important to be careful about your consumption, however, as too much chocolate could cause weight gain and other health issues.
Spices
A very interesting 2021 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that spices can help to lower blood pressure. In fact, the study showed that, even if the sodium isn’t lowered, the spices were still able to reduce blood pressure over time. Of course, it’s better to skip the salt and choose spices.
Blueberries
Blueberries contain resveratrol which is known to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Not only do these help to reduce blood pressure, but they have also been shown to be excellent for brain health by improving cognitive functions (berries in general are great for this).
Bananas
It’s common knowledge that bananas are high in potassium, but did you know that potassium is also a great way to lower your blood pressure? One thing to remember about eating bananas and other foods high in potassium is that it can be bad for anyone with kidney problems.
Avoid Sodium
The best thing you can do to lower your blood pressure is to avoid consuming too much sodium. This can be deceptively tricky, so it’s best to be careful. Restaurant food, canned food, condiments, and packaged cheese are just some of the foods that are commonly preserved and made with a large amount of salt. Also, remember that sea salt has the same amount of sodium per volume as iodized salt, so this isn’t a healthier option. Skip the salt and utilize other spices in your food.
Please take the information in this article as general information. We are not medical professionals—consult a doctor if you believe you have high blood pressure and need medical advice.
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