Following a heart-healthy diet is suggested for all people with high blood pressure, including those on blood-pressure-lowering medications. Eating foods with nutrients like potassium and magnesium may be especially helpful. Today we will learn together top 15 best food for high blood pressure below.

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is specifically designed to help manage blood pressure, emphasizes eating many fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and other fiber-rich foods. Incorporating many of these foods that lower blood pressure into your diet can be a great way to facilitate a healthier lifestyle. And, there are even foods that lower blood pressure quickly so you can get started on your journey to better health.

That said, incorporating the below expert-approved foods into your diet and following a regular exercise routine, can help lower your blood pressure.

1. Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium, with one average-sized banana packing about 420 milligrams. That’s about nine percent of the recommended daily intake. Prest notes that potassium is great for blood pressure management and research has shown diets low in potassium are associated with higher blood pressure. Bananas are also rich in fiber and lend a natural sweetness to smoothies, baked goods, and frozen treats. Peel and freeze mushy bananas when they start to go bad.

Try it: Try them sliced with your breakfast.

2. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits, including grapefruit, oranges, and lemons, may have powerful blood-pressure-lowering effects. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that may help keep your heart healthy by reducing heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure (Trusted Source)

A 5-month study involving 101 Japanese women demonstrated that daily lemon juice intake combined with walking was significantly correlated with reductions in SBP, an effect that the researchers attributed to the citric acid and flavonoid content of lemons

Studies have also shown drinking orange and grapefruit juice may help reduce blood pressure. Yet, grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with common blood-pressure-lowering medications, so consult your healthcare provider before adding this fruit to your diet.

3. Salmon and other fatty fish

Fatty fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which have significant heart health benefits. These fats may help reduce blood pressure levels by reducing inflammation and decreasing levels of blood-vessel-constricting compounds called oxylipins.

Research has linked higher intakes of omega-3-rich fatty fish to lower blood pressure levels.

 Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health (Trusted Source).

A study in 2,036 healthy people found that those with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fats had significantly lower SBP and DBP than those with the lowest blood levels of these fats. Higher omega-3 intake has also been associated with a lower risk of hypertension.

4. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt

Low-fat dairy products are a great source of calcium, which is one of the main compounds that help fight high blood pressure. Feller adds that potassium, protein, vitamins, and minerals from yogurt are great compliments to your diet as well. A 12-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will give you about 30 percent of the recommended amount of calcium for the day.

Try it: For a burst of morning energy, mix a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt with granola, almond slivers, and berries for an extra heart-healthy boost.

5. Berries

Berries, but specifically blueberries, are packed with nitric oxide, a gas that helps increase blood flow, thus lowering blood pressure. A March 2015 study by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that even less than an ounce of blueberries a day can help significantly lower blood pressure.

Try it: Add blueberries and other berries to your morning oatmeal and salads for lunch, or make them your dessert after dinner. Check out these creative and delicious ways to eat more berries for more inspiration.

6. Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they pack a punch when it comes to nutrition.

They’re a concentrated source of nutrients important for blood pressure control, including magnesium, potassium, and arginine, an amino acid needed for the production of nitric oxide, which is essential for blood vessel relaxation and blood pressure reduction .

Pumpkin seed oil has also been shown to be a powerful natural remedy for high blood pressure. A study in 23 women found that supplementing with 3 grams of pumpkin seed oil per day for 6 weeks led to significant reductions in SBP, compared with a placebo group

7. Beets, beet greens, and beet juice

Beets and beet greens are exceptionally nutritious, and eating them may help promote healthy blood pressure levels. They’re high in nitrates, which help relax blood vessels and may lower blood pressure .

Some research has shown that adding beets and beet products to your diet may help promote healthy blood pressure levels.

For example, a 2-week study in 24 people with high blood pressure found that consuming both 8.4 ounces (250 mL) of beet juice and 8.8 ounces (250 grams) of cooked beets significantly reduced blood pressure, although it found that the beet juice was more effective .

Although other studies have also linked beet and beet juice intake to positive effects on blood pressure, not all studies have shown positive results.

Some studies have suggested that the effects of beets on blood pressure are short lived and may not make a substantial difference on long-term blood pressure control

Nevertheless, beets, beet juice, and beet greens are all highly nutritious and may help improve overall health when added to your diet
Similar to blueberries, beets are high in blood pressure-reducing nitric oxide. Research has shown that drinking beetroot juice can help lower your systolic blood pressure by four to five mmHg. Try adding beetroot juice to your diet, and if you buy store-bought juice, make sure there isn’t added sugar.

8. Garlic

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the compound allicin in garlic may be able to help reduce blood pressure. Allicin is released when garlic is crushed or chopped. However, doctors don’t recommend using garlic supplements since there is limited research on their effectiveness for hypertension.

Try it: Make your own garlic spread by sprinkling olive oil on a full head of garlic, and then baking it in the oven until it’s brown and soft. Cut off the top layer of the garlic head and it yields a creamy and buttery texture.

9. Sweet potatoes

Potassium- and magnesium-rich sweet potatoes are an essential part of following a blood pressure-reducing diet. Sweet potatoes are also high in fiber which is good for your heart, too.

Try it: Bake sweet potatoes in a sheet pan with your choice of lean protein for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. You can also make sweet potatoes the star with sweet potato with shredded salad.

10. Broccoli

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, are high in all of the four magic compounds that help lower blood pressure—calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. Studies have shown that diets high in cruciferous vegetables have led to lower levels of heart disease and longevity.

Try it: Top your favorite flatbread like this Broccoli and Red Onion Flatbread or make a super simple Pan-Fried Chicken with Lemony Roasted Broccoli. Then, be sure to use the stalks in this Charred-Broccoli Relish.

11. Pomegranates

It’s not always easy to eat a pomegranate, especially since they’re so hard to peel, but pomegranate juice is easy to drink and will give you the same benefits. A September 2012 study in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition suggests that the high antioxidant levels in pomegranate juice can help lower blood pressure.

Try it: Add the juicy seeds to your favorite dishes, like this Cinnamon-Spiked Rice. When you’re buying pomegranate juice, just make sure it has no sugar added.

12. Olive oil

Olive oil may be high in calories, but it has many health benefits. Using polyphenol-rich olive oil has been linked to lowering blood pressure—especially among women. Make olive oil your go-to oil when cooking and new research says replacing butter with olive oil may reduce your risk of disease and death. “The recommendation is to stay away from fats that solidify at room temperature,” Bland says. “When they get incorporated into your diet, they can increase the risk for high blood pressure.”

Try it: Use olive oil in these super-simple salad dressings you can make at home.

13. Dark chocolate

Good news for all chocolate lovers: According to a May 2017 study in Heart, flavonol-rich dark chocolate has been linked to a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease. The study found that the flavonols in dark chocolate helped promote healthy blood vessel function.

Try it: Just enjoy it! Remember to stick to a 1-ounce serving, as it can be calorie-dense if you go overboard.

14. Tomatoes and tomato products

Tomatoes and tomato products are rich in many nutrients, including potassium and the carotenoid pigment lycopene.

Lycopene has been significantly associated with beneficial effects on heart health, and eating foods high in this nutrient, such as tomato products, may help reduce heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure .

A review of 21 studies concluded that consuming tomato and tomato products improves blood pressure and may help reduce your risk of heart disease and heart-disease-related death.

15. Herbs and spices

Certain herbs and spices contain powerful compounds that may help reduce blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax.

Celery seed, cilantro, saffron, lemongrass, black cumin, ginseng, cinnamon, cardamom, sweet basil, and ginger are just some of the herbs and spices that have been shown to have blood-pressure-lowering potential, according to results from animal and human research.

Along with other lifestyle modifications, adopting a healthy diet can significantly lower blood pressure levels and help reduce your heart disease risk.

According to research, adding certain foods like leafy greens, berries, beans, lentils, seeds, fatty fish, citrus fruits, and carrots to your meals and snacks may help you reach and maintain optimal blood pressure levels.

If you have high blood pressure levels or are looking to maintain healthy blood pressure, adding a few of the foods listed in this article to your diet may help.

Source: healthline, prevention

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