Unsweetened Yogurt
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Recent studies have shown that unsweetened yogurt can actually produce some positive outcomes when it comes to blood pressure. This is as a result of yogurts hight amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium which can all regulate blood pressure. Make sure you buy unsweetened though!
Berries
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Berries, particularly strawberries and blueberries can be beneficial when it comes to tackling high blood pressure. This is due to their high concentration of antioxidants. The particular one 'anthocyanin' has been seen to reduce hypertension in high blood pressure sufferers. They're also extremely tasty!
Beets
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Not always everyone's favourite vegetable, but beets are very high in nitric oxide. Studies have shown that nitric oxide can help reduce systolic blood pressure! You might be best avoiding eating beets on their own, instead using it on the side or you can drink beetroot juice (if you dare!).
Sweet Potatoes
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Sweet potatoes, surprisingly only loosely related to normal potatoes, are another food absolutely loaded with magnesium and potassium which can help with blood pressure regulation. They're also a good substitute for your dinners to replace normal fries which can get a little boring for some.
Leafy Green Vegetables
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Leafy green vegetables like Cabbage, spinach and collard greens are high in nitrates, which can be extremely beneficial when it comes to blood pressure regulation. Fortunately, their are a wide number of uses for these vegetables, as a side dish on your plate, in salads or even in smoothies.
Fatty Fishes
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Fatty fishes are jam-packed with omega-3 and vitamin D, both nutrients that have been studied in lowering and regulating your blood pressure. You're looking at favourites like salmon, sea bass and mackerel as good choices here. And again they all make for a great mealtime!
Oatmeal
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If you can get the thought of stodgy, prison-like oatmeal out your head then this might sound like a great idea. You'll probably already know that oatmeal is high in fiber (particularly beta-glucan) which can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. You can always add some berries on top!
Whole Grains (And Whole Grain Versions)
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Just like with oatmeal (yes oats are a grain, I know) whole grains are all loaded with Beta-Glucan. Think about whole grain substitutions like breads and cereals, they're all popular products. Maybe switch out some of your side dishes and replace them with quinoa or use whole grain bread in place of white!
Bananas
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Bananas are widely known to be a very popular and healthy fruit, that can be helpful tackling a number of issues within the body. They all contain around 420 mg of potassium per fruit which is a huge amount and one that can be great for attacking your blood pressure numbers. They can also be added to other meals or smoothies!
Pistachios
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Some studies have shown that if you eat pistachios during periods of stress that your blood pressure might actually lower. It might seem a weird snack to go to, but they're actually a delicious and surprisingly filling snack. They can be added to yogurts, salads or even a homemade pesto.
Avocado
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Avocado is another fruit (it really is a fruit, not a vegetable) that is extremely high in Potassium. Although it doesn't contain nearly as much as a banana, it still contains enough that it is beneficial. You're probably aware that avocado has become more and more popular in recent years as part of breakfast meals.
Kiwifruit
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Although it might seem a little over the top, some studies have shown that if you eat three kiwis a day it can help lower your blood pressure. This might not be great for your bank account, so maybe explore some other options, but they are delicious as part of fruit salads or maybe even with your yogurt.
Citrus Fruits
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Think popular citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits, they all have positive effects on your blood pressure. They're loaded with vitamins and minerals that can lower risks of heart disease. And typically, you are more likely to consume citrus fruits as drinks than you are by taking a sour bite.
Pumpkin Seeds
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They might be tiny, but they actually contain a high concentration of nutrients like magnesium, potassium and arginine which can help produce nitric oxide. This is essential in the relaxing of blood vessels; you can even use pumpkin seed oil as a supplement with studies showing it can have a great effect.
Beans
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Beans (as well as lentils) are another concentrated source of nutrients including: magnesium, potassium and fiber, that can regulate blood pressure. They are a great way to introduce nutrients you might be missing from your diet, and they are also a particularly filling ingredient to add to your dishes.
Carrots
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Carrots are pretty much a regular part of many of our diets, they're both sweet and crunchy, and fortunately nutritious. They are high in caffeic acids which relax your blood vessels and reduce inflammation. It is believed that they have a greater effect when eaten raw on lowering blood pressure.
Celery
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Celery, I suppose, could be described as a green leafy vegetable; but they actually contain another compound known as phthalides that can also relax your blood vessels. In fact, studies have shown that celery ranks amongst the highest percentile when it comes to cooked veg that affects blood pressure.
Tomatoes
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Tomatoes are another vegetable that are rich in potassium, but they also contain lycopene. This has been found to have significant benefits when it comes to the health of your heart, including lowering your blood pressure. You can also find similar positives in tomato based products.
Broccoli
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Another green leafy vegetable, maybe we're catching on to something. It has been known for a while that Broccoli can help your circulatory system; this is because it is full of antioxidants which can increase the nitric oxide levels.
Certain Herbs And Spices
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There are a number of herbs and spices that can contain numerous nutrients and compounds that can help reduce blood pressure. Some examples of these herbs and spices include: cilantro, cumin, ginseng and ginger; and they have all been shown to lower blood pressure.
Chia Seeds
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Chia seeds are another item that have seen a popular rise in the last decade or so, and they are absolutely loaded with nutrients essential in blood pressure regulation. One study found that supplementing with around 30 grams of chia seeds a day lowered blood pressure.
Dark Chocolate
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Dark chocolate is rich in cacao, an ingredient which is full of a particular antioxidant. However, studies have suggested that you might have to eat a lot of the dark chocolate for it to have visible effects; something they're obviously not going to promote too strongly.
Watermelon
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Watermelon is another fruit with blood pressure lowering powers! They contain an amino acid known as citrulline which can help with the production of nitric oxide. Watermelons can be consumed in a number of forms like juices, fruit salads or even just on their own as a snack during the day.
Garlic
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Garlic is possibly one of the most popular ingredients in our dishes and is used almost worldwide to add flavour. They contain antibiotics and antifungal properties as a result of allicin. Studies have shown that garlic in general can reduce blood pressure as well as arterial stiffness.
Fermented Foods
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All fermented foods contain high amounts of probiotics, a bacteria that has been shown to help manage your blood pressure. A study has shown its best to consume multiple species of probiotic bacteria across a period of over 2 months. Popular fermented foods include kombucha and kimchi.
Pomegranates
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Another fruit rich in antioxidants! They also contain some other nutrients that can help with lowering your blood pressure. Some studies have shown that drinking pomegranate juice was extremely beneficial in the lowering of blood pressure, even in as short a period as one month!
Cinnamon
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Studies have found that cinnamon can help reduce blood pressure, with one suggesting you consume around 2g a day for 8 weeks (or more). They found this was particularly helpful to people with a high BMI. Cinnamon is thankfully a great substance to throw on your oatmeal or over fruit.
Skim Milk
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Studies have shown that consuming skim milk can reduce the risk of high blood pressure. It is believed that this is because of the higher levels of calcium, potassium and other nutrients within it. Other people believe that it might be down to low-fat dairy consumers have healthier lives!
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
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Oils aren't particularly known for being great to your insides, especially affecting your heart. However, studies have found that consuming extra-virgin olive oil can actually reduce your blood pressure; this is thanks to it high levels of oleic acid and antioxidants.
NO COFFEE!
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Maybe we should include one thing you definitely shouldn't be consuming too much of! Coffee is obviously very high in caffeine which can trigger spikes in your blood pressure. This doesn't mean you can't drink coffee but you shouldn't have too much of it! A healthy diet is important.
Foods You Should Definitely Avoid With High Blood Pressure: TV Dinners
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We all know how tempting a TV dinner can be when we've had a busy day and we just want something quick and easy - they're also more tempting than a healthy salad. But these meals are loaded with sodium, which is bad news for anyone with high blood pressure.
You Should Probably Limit Your Restaurant Visits
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You might actually think that going out for a meal cooked by a professional chef instead of attempting to do it yourself at home is the healthy option - you're paying more for higher quality food, right? Well that all depends on where you eat, of course, but most bog standard restaurants will use packaged food or food high in sodium.
And Definitely Your Drive Thru Pit Stops!
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It goes without saying that drive thru meals and fast food aren't good news for your health or blood pressure, and that's because fast food will be packed with sodium, too. This is obviously going to be worse than restaurant food because it's fast and fatty!
Potato Chips And Popcorn
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Potato chips and popcorn hit the spot when you need an easy snack, especially for movie night. But salty snacks like potato chips, popcorn and crackers will be high in sodium for the most part. If you're looking for a healthier snack, try nuts or low-sodium/no-sodium options!
Pickled Or Brined Food
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Any foods that are pickled or brined, and that includes the food's juices, will likely be high in sodium, too - which is not what you want if you have high blood pressure. So if you've a hankering for pickles, try to limit your intake, and use other juices for marinades instead, like citrus juice.
White Bread
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We know that wholegrain is always the healthy option in terms of pasta, rice and bread, and that's why you should avoid white bread if you have high blood pressure. If you really can't stomach brown bread, then you're best off ditching the bread altogether if you can!
Canned Soup
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Soup is a very healthy option - when it's made in a healthy way. Unfortunately, that's not canned soup, which is full of sodium. If you want soup, it's best to learn how to make easy at-home recipes where you can make your own soup from scratch with healthy ingredients!
Tomato Juice/Sauces
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Tomato juice and in particular tomato sauces like ketchup are great to have as condiments or when the mood takes you - but they're packed with, you guessed it, sodium! If you can deal with eating things without ketchup, this is the best choice for your blood pressure.
Processed Meat
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Processed meat is quick and easy, and it's a great option for making your sandwiches for the week or for a snack. But as we know, anything that's quick and easy is usually not very good for you, and in this case, processed meat isn't a good idea for people with high blood pressure.
Pizza
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The thing with pizza is that there's no real 'healthy' option, even if you make it from scratch. Homemade pizza is probably you're best bet, but no matter whether it's homemade, frozen from the grocery store or ordered from your favorite takeout, pizza is likely high in sodium.
Alcohol
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If you don't already have high blood pressure, drinking more alcohol - especially beer and wine - could make your chances of getting high blood pressure higher. If you already have high blood pressure, then you'll definitely want to decrease your alcohol intake - or quit altogether!
Cheese
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We get it, cheese is awesome - on anything, really. So you don't want to hear about it being bad for your blood pressure... well, there is a way around this. You can stick to cheeses that are low in sodium, like Swiss or mozzarella. You'll want to avoid processed and hard cheeses, which are high in sodium.
Most Condiments
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Condiments have the power to transform any meal or side dish, which is why it's bad news that you shouldn't be having them for high blood pressure! Condiments like soy sauce and salad dressing, as well as ketchup we mentioned, are all high in sodium - but you can look for low-sodium alternatives!
Table Salt
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Sodium is the main culprit when it comes to raising blood pressure, and if you're someone who usually sprinkles over a ton of table salt on every meal, you might want to stop that. Table salt contains around 40% sodium, and it's recommended you cut back to around 1 teaspoon of salt a day.
Sugar
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We all know too much sugar is bad for you, but you might not have linked it to high blood pressure before. Sugar in itself - like if you're piling it into your coffee every day - can cause high blood pressure because too much sugar can make you put on weight, which in turn can lead to high blood pressure.
Full Fat Milk/Cream
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Full fat cream and full fat milk can be delicious, especially if you're a fan of creamy coffees or like to add cream to your recipes. But full fat milk and cream are full of saturated fats, which are bad news for your heart health and also bad news if you want to avoid high blood pressure.
Chicken With The Skin On
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If you're a meat eater and you're a fan of chicken, did you know that it makes a difference if you're eating skinless chicken breast versus chicken wings with the skin on? The skin of chicken is something else that's full of saturated fats, so this can affect your high blood pressure risks, too.
Sweetened Drinks
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Sweetened drinks can be one of the worst culprits for increased sugar intake and weight gain, especially if you're knocking them back all the time. You'll want to be careful with how many fizzy, sugary drinks you're having on a daily basis, as this won't help your blood pressure either.
French Fries
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Any fried food is going to be bad news for your blood pressure, as well as your weight (which as we know doesn't help your blood pressure either!). French fries in particular are the hardest to resist, because they taste so good and they go with pretty much every meal - but you might want to fight those fried urges!
Certain Fruit Juices
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Grapefruit in particular, either the fruit itself or the juice, is something you should be careful of if you're already taking blood pressure medication, as it can cause a negative reaction. Fruit juices in general may be high in sugar, especially if not freshly squeezed, so double check!