Various ideas abound regarding what foods help or hinder your fight against high blood pressure. Here's a rundown of what's being said — and whether it's fact or fiction.
Potassium — Potassium helps prevent and control high blood pressure. Foods containing potassium include: lean pork, lean veal, fish (catfish, cod, flounder, and trout — if not fried or made with added fat), low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, dry peas, dry beans, green beans, apricots, peaches, bananas, prunes and prune juice, orange juice, lima beans, stewed tomatoes, spinach, plantain, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, potatoes, and winter squash. Plan your meals so you end up eating 4,700 mg of potassium per day.
Calcium — Populations with low calcium have high rates of high blood pressure. However, a link has not been scientifically proven between calcium tablets and lower blood pressure. It's possible to get the recommended 800 mg to 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 containing calcium are: tofu (made with calcium sulfate), broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, and fish (mackerel, perch, and salmon — prepared healthfully).
Magnesium — A diet low in magnesium may 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, croaker, 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 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. There can be unpleasant side affects from high doses.
Caffeine — Caffeine may temporarily cause blood pressure to go up. Unless you are sensitive to caffeine and your blood pressure does not go down, you do not have to limit caffeine to prevent developing high blood pressure.
Garlic or Onions — Increased amounts of these herbs have not been found to affect blood pressure. However, they are tasty substitutes for salty seasonings. |
