Ideas abound regarding foods that can help or hinder your fight against high blood pressure. Here's a list of foods that can affect your blood pressure – mostly for the good:
Potassium – Potassium helps prevent and control high blood pressure. Foods containing potassium include: fish (catfish, cod, flounder, and trout — if not fried or made with added fat), lean pork, lean veal, low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, peas, beans, green beans, apricots, peaches, bananas, prunes and prune juice, orange juice, stewed tomatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, potatoes, and winter squash. Plan your meals so you end up eating 4,700 mg of potassium per day.
Calcium – People who typically have a low calcium intake have high rates of high blood pressure. However, a link has not been scientifically proven between taking calcium supplements and lowering blood pressure. It's possible to get the recommended 800-1,240 mg a day of calcium from the foods you eat. Dairy foods, like low-fat selections of milk, yogurt, and cheese, are good sources. Low-fat and nonfat selections have even more calcium than the high-fat types. Other foods that contain calcium are: tofu (made with calcium sulfate), broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, and fish (mackerel, perch, and salmon – prepared healthfully).
Magnesium – A diet that's low in magnesium might make your blood pressure rise. But doctors don't recommend taking supplements. You can easily get the daily recommendation of 500 mg from the foods you eat. Magnesium is found in whole-wheat bread, whole-grain cereals, green leafy vegetables (like broccoli, chard, spinach, okra, and plantain), nuts, seeds, tofu, soymilk, beans, dry peas, and seafood (oysters, scallops, mackerel, and sea bass – prepared without added fat).
Fish Oil – A type of fat called "omega-3 fatty acids" is found in fatty fish like mackerel and salmon. Large amounts of fish oils might help you reduce high blood pressure, but their role in prevention is unclear. Taking fish oil pills is not as good as getting the oil from eating fish.
Garlic or Onions – Increased amounts of these herbs have not been found to affect blood pressure. But they are tasty substitutes for salty seasonings.
One more "natural" way to lower your blood pressure is to reduce your intake of:
Caffeine – Drinking one cup of coffee a day has only a small and short-term effect on blood pressure. But if you drink two or more caffeinated beverages a day, the effect on your blood pressure can be larger and longer. In a 13-year study of nearly 25,000 people, researchers found that people who drank even 2-3 cups of coffee a day had a 36% increased risk of having high blood pressure compared to those who drank one cup or less a day.
If you want a hot drink, safer choices are herbal tea, steamed soymilk, or decaf coffee. In place of caffeinated soft drinks, choose pure fruit juices, such as orange and grapefruit. These juices are not only caffeine-free but also high in potassium, which is naturally protective against high blood pressure. |
