Good Foods To Lower Blood Pressure
11. Spinach – Spinach makes several lists on our site here, including our list of Superfoods, and is a key ingredient in several Detox Drinks. Here’s one more good thing about spinach: it helps to keep your blood pressure down. It does this mostly due to its nutrient dense nature, containing plenty of antioxidants in it to help the body repair damage done from free radicals. The great part is that you can eat it straight up in a salad, or you can add it to a smoothie for an instant upgrade. It forms the foundation to many green smoothies that are all the rage.
12. Avocados – Avocados attack high blood pressure from multiple angles, with the potassium they contain, the fiber, and the monounsaturated fat that they’re high in. This three-pronged approach really sets you up for having a better chance of keeping things stabilized. It’s super easy to start eating more of them as well. They complement many health conscious meals, and can be used to top off anything from salads to tacos. They can also be eaten directly, and used as a snack to hold you over between meals. Because of the fat content you end up feeling fuller longer.
13. Cantaloupe – Hope you’re hungry, because you’ll have to eat half a cantaloupe to get the same amount of potassium you get from a banana. But that’s not all a cantaloupe contains that aids in keeping your blood pressure groovy. They also assist the body in healing itself through antioxidants. Foods containing healthy levels of potassium help to keep lipoprotein cholesterol levels down, which is why you should have some each day, and not just as a “once in awhile” compromise.
14. Prunes – Clinical tests have proven that prunes are good for the body, and especially for blood pressure. They help to create a significant reduction of the bad cholesterol in the body, and a byproduct of this is lowered blood pressure. They’re also well known for their laxative properties, helping to relieve cases of constipation, and keeping the body regular if consumed on a daily basis. The nice part is you don’t have to go overboard and eat several prunes each day, but having a serving daily would go far in your quest for lowered BP levels.
Carrots – It can be hard crunching up enough carrots to make a difference to your blood pressure, which is why it’s a good idea to drink them instead. You might consider investing in a juicer to get at the good stuff that carrots contain. Most are aware that carrots are good for the eyes, but they also contain antioxidants and potassium, two major supporters of normal blood pressure levels. The specific type of fiber that carrots contain also helps to keep you free and clear.
15. Dandelion – It makes you wonder who the first person was to look at a dandelion and consider it a food source. But now we’re discovering that there are plenty of reasons to eat this flower, including lowered blood pressure. The key is to make sure that you’re eating potassium-rich foods while you’re taking dandelion root extract, as it works as a diuretic and will help the body get rid of excess fluid. Diuretics have been used to treat high blood pressure for quite some time, and this is a natural way to go about it.
16. Salmon – You have to make sure that the salmon you choose is wild salmon if you want to reap the blood pressure benefits from it. The omega-3s it contains have plenty of different benefits for the body, one of which is that it helps to prevent the blood from clotting, which means that you’ll end up having an improved circulatory system in general. It is often recommended to add this to your menu a few times a week, and you will also be helping to ward off heart attacks and even cancer.
17. Skim Milk – With skim milk you’re getting the combination of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, but without the fat. As long as you’re not lactose intolerant or a vegan studies show that drinking a daily glass of skim milk can be an effective way to keep your blood pressure in line. The temptation may be to have it in a bowl of sugary cereal or to wash down some chocolate chip cookies with it, but drinking it solo is the best way to keep things healthy. Be sure to buy organic if you can, so you won’t be filling your body with the antibiotics they pump into ordinary cows.
18. Watermelon – Watermelon is one food that most people don’t mind getting more of, especially when they find out just how good it is for them. In the case of the rise and fall of blood pressure, it helps because of all the L-citrulline it contains. This helps to relax your arteries, and thus results in lowered BP levels. So don’t save this as a summertime treat. Consider having “melon mornings” regularly where you simply start your day with an assortment of fresh melon, including cantaloupe which also makes this list.
19. Raisins – Raisins make a great and portable snack, just be sure that you’re not getting ones that have a lot of added sugar, and opt for the organic upgrade to make sure that they were made with organic grapes. The thought is that it’s the potassium content of raisins that does the trick, and since they’re delicious this is one change you can make starting right away without having to commit to much. It’s the little changes that add up to something big over time. Raisin bran wouldn’t qualify, as most brands add generous amounts of heavily-processed sugar.
20. Spices – Just because you’re trying to get your blood pressure down doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. There are several spices that are known to help keep the body in a relaxed state, and help your circulatory system function optimally. Garlic and oregano are two that you can add to your foods in order to add instant flavor, but also to help with your heart health. If you’re doing some baking or dealing with sweets you can sprinkle some cinnamon for extra heart disease prevention.
