Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most common preventable risk factor for heart disease. Today, more than 1 billion people around the world have high blood pressure, defined as a systolic (top number) blood pressure value of 130 mm Hg or more, or diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) of more than 80 mm Hg, or both.
Medications, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, are commonly used to reduce blood pressure levels. However, lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications, can help lower blood pressure levels to the optimal range and reduce the risk of heart disease.
The heart diet is recommended for all people with high blood pressure, including those taking blood pressure-lowering drugs. It is important to adjust the daily diet to the state of health you have in order to adjust the diet goals. In a heart-healthy diet, the goal of the diet is to help lower blood pressure. Thus, the consumption of foods low in sodium and high in certain nutrients such as potassium and magnesium is an emphasis in the heart diet.
This first part of the article will review five foods that can help you deal with high blood pressure. Can you guess what kind of food is that?
- Citrus fruit
A wide variety of citrus fruits, including grapefruit, oranges, and lemons, have a blood pressure-lowering effect. In addition, citrus fruits are also full of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that can help maintain heart health by reducing risk factors for heart disease, one of which is high blood pressure.
A 5-month study involving 101 Japanese women showed that daily intake of lemon juice combined with walking habits was significantly correlated with a reduction in systolic blood pressure, which the researchers attributed to the citric acid and flavonoid content of lemons.
Other studies have shown that consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice can help reduce blood pressure. Even so, consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with the absorption of blood pressure-lowering drugs, therefore you need to consult this with your doctor, nutritionist, or health worker before adding this fruit to your daily diet.
- Salmon and other fatty fish
Fat-rich fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, omega-3 have significant benefits for heart health. This is because omega-3 can help reduce blood pressure by reducing inflammation and lowering levels of blood vessel-blocking compounds.
A study on 2,036 healthy people found that those with high levels of omega-3 fats in their blood had significantly lower blood pressure. A higher intake of omega-3 is also associated with a lower risk of hypertension.
- Beans and Nuts
Beans are rich in nutrients that help regulate blood pressure, such as fiber, magnesium, and potassium. Numerous studies have shown that eating beans and lentils can help lower high blood pressure levels. Summarized in a literature review of 8 studies involving 554 people, consumption of beans significantly lowered systolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure levels in people with and without hypertension.
Of many types of nuts, one that has a strong effect on lowering blood pressure is pistachio nuts. This is because pistachios contain various important nutrients for heart health and blood pressure regulation, including potassium.
- Berries
Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, chokeberries, cloudberries, and strawberries have the potential to reduce risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure. Berries are rich in antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which are the pigments that give berries their bright color. Anthocyanins are able to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood and reduce the production of blood vessel-blocking molecules, which in turn can help reduce blood pressure levels.
- Carrots
Carrots are rich in phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acid, which help relax blood vessels and reduce inflammation, which in turn can help lower blood pressure levels.
Consumption of raw carrots is more beneficial for lowering high blood pressure. A study involving 2,195 people aged 40-59 years found that raw carrot intake was significantly associated with lower blood pressure levels. Another study in 17 people showed that a daily intake of 16 ounces (473 mL) of fresh carrot juice for 3 months led to a reduction in systolic blood pressure but not diastolic blood pressure.
Along with other lifestyle modifications, trying to adopt a healthy diet can help lower blood pressure levels and the risk of heart disease. So, if you have high blood pressure or want to maintain healthy blood pressure, try adding some of the foods listed in this article to your daily diet.
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Sources :
Chan, Q., et al (2014). Relation of raw and cooked vegetable consumption to blood pressure: the INTERMAP Study. Journal of human hypertension, 28(6), 353–359.
Filipovic, M. G., et al. (2018). Whole blood omega-3 fatty acid concentrations are inversely associated with blood pressure in young, healthy adults. Journal of hypertension, 36(7), 1548–1554
Jayalath, V. H., et al. (2014). Effect of dietary pulses on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled feeding trials. American journal of hypertension, 27(1), 56–64
Kato, Y., et al. (2014). Effect on blood pressure of daily lemon ingestion and walking. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2014, 912684
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Potter, A. S., et al. (2011). Drinking carrot juice increases total antioxidant status and decreases lipid peroxidation in adults. Nutrition journal, 10, 96
Sauder, K. A., et al (2014). Pistachio nut consumption modifies systemic hemodynamics, increases heart rate variability, and reduces ambulatory blood pressure in well-controlled type 2 diabetes: a randomized trial. Journal of the American Heart Association, 3(4), e000873