7 Foods That Lower High Blood Pressure

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7 Foods That Lower High Blood Pressure
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According to a 2016 study conducted by the
Imperial College London, the number of people
with high blood pressure has nearly doubled in 40
years. They also found that India had 200 million
people suffering from high blood pressure. Poor
nutrition is one of the contributing factors of
hypertension and hence diet plays an important
role in managing it. Here we talk about 7 foods
that you can add to your diet to lower high blood
pressure. Read on! Different independent studies
have pointed towards the fact that poor
nutrition in early life years increases the risk
of the high blood pressure in later life. This is
one of the contributing factors for a higher
prevalence of hypertension in poor and developing
countries. Dietary modifications play an
important role in controlling hypertension apart
from medicines. The levels of different nutrients
especially sodium, potassium, magnesium and
calcium, are important for hypertension
management. For example, low sodium intake and a
high potassium diet can help lower blood pressure
significantly. Here we talk about 7
hypertension-lowering foods that you can add to
your daily diet.
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Garlic Garlic is widely used in our Indian
cuisine. It not only enhances the flavour of the
dishes but also confers us with several health
benefits. Consuming fresh garlic has proven to
lower blood pressure in hypertensive people. One
of the active ingredients present in garlic
called allicin helps lower blood pressure
effectively. This compound is activated when
garlic is chopped or crushed and is destroyed
quite easily when cooked. Thus, if you are
someone suffering from hypertension, incorporate
raw garlic in your meals to reap its blood
pressure lowering benefits. The only disadvantage
of eating too much garlic isgarlic
breath! Beetroot Beetroot is a rich source of
dietary nitrate that plays a significant role in
lowering blood pressure. Nitrate-rich foods that
are not exposed to very high heat are beneficial
because it can become nitric oxide. Nitric oxide
(NO) acts as a signalling molecule that gives
signals to the cells in your arteries, telling
them to soften and relax. This action greatly
improves vasodilation (widening of blood
vessels), which reduces blood pressure. According
to different studies, beetroot juice intake can
lower your blood pressure within hours and also
reduces your risk of stroke and cardiovascular
diseases.
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Fish Oil Fish oil is derived from the tissues of
different oily fishes. It is a rich source of
omega-3 fatty acids that help lower high blood
pressure and are also beneficial for your
cardiovascular health. The exact mechanism of
effect is still not clear but most experts
believe it is due to the omega-6omega-3 ratio.
Having more omega-3 fats in your diet (compared
to omega-6 fats) is considered better for your
heart health. However, certain emerging studies
consider the omega-6omega-3 ratio has become
scientifically out-dated. Some foods rich in
omega-3 fats are oily fish, olive oil, walnuts,
and flaxseeds.
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Nuts Nuts such as pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts
and cashews can effectively reduce blood pressure
in hypertensive people. It is a rich source
of unsaturated fats, magnesium,
potassium, fiber and is low in sodium and saturate
d fats, which helps maintain heart health. It
helps lower bad cholesterol levels in our body
and reduces arterial inflammation, which
ultimately lowers the pressure within the
arteries, more commonly known as blood pressure.
Nuts are also an integral part of the famous DASH
diet.
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Dark Chocolate Dark chocolates and other
cocoa-rich products can help reduce blood
pressure in diabetic and hypertensive people.
Different studies have suggested that consuming
polyphenol-rich chocolates daily such as dark
chocolates can reduce blood pressure effectively.
Cocoa containing foods are a rich source of the
bioactive compound flavanols which help lower
blood pressure . Flavanols increase the formation
of nitric oxide within the body which promotes
vasodilation and therefore, blood pressure
reduction. Read more about hypertension
here!  Green Leafy Vegetables Green leafy
vegetables such as spinach, collard greens, beet
greens and kale are a great source of potassium,
magnesium and dietary nitrates which are
extremely beneficial nutrients in lowering your
blood pressure effectively. Just like beetroots,
leafy greens are also rich in nitrates. Also, the
potassium helps your kidneys get rid of excess
sodium through urine, which reduces blood
pressure. Magnesium also helps in lowering blood
pressure, a process which is enhanced in the
presence of potassium. 
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Green Tea Green tea is a rich source of different
powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols. One of
the polyphenols present in green tea is
called catechins, a type of natural phenol and
antioxidant. It has shown to improve
vasodilation, which improves blood flow and
reduces blood pressure. Daily green tea
consumption also reduces cholesterol levels which
help lower the risk of cardiovascular
disorders. There are several other risk factors
which are out of your control such as age, family
history, gender, and race. But there are also
factors you can control, such as exercise and
diet that can help manage your blood pressure
effectively. Read our article lowering
hypertension with diet to know more! No matter
what food you choose, remember to indulge in a
heart-healthy diet that is rich in magnesium,
potassium, healthy fats and fiber but low in
sodium. What is your go-to blood pressure
lowering foods? Let us know in the comments below!
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