Did you know that certain foods can help reduce a person’s high blood pressure, and in turn reduce any risks associated with that condition? You may have heard in the past that a good diet can boost your health, but today we here at Kanoxmed would like to focus on foods that specifically aim to reduce high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
1. Berries
One thing you can be certain of is that berries are full of antioxidants. In specific, blueberries and strawberries both contain an antioxidant compound called anthocyanins. In a study done on people who consumed anthocyanins (from, mostly, strawberries & blueberries), researchers discovered that these people had an eight percent reduction in the risk of high blood pressure!
There are a vast number of different ways that you can implement berries into your everyday diet. These sweet treats are lovely to snack on, and can be used in smoothies, sprinkled on oatmeal, or even eaten right out of the container on their own! Whichever way you decide to eat these delectable fruits, they sure do pack a punch in terms of health benefits.
2. Leafy Greens
This is one food group you might have heard the most about in terms of health benefits. Don’t feel doubtful though, as these vegetables stay true to their claims to being extremely good for you and your body. How do they help with blood pressure, you may ask? Well, leafy greens contain loads of nitrates, which are a compound that help manage blood pressure. Some examples of leafy greens include but are not limited to:
- Cabbage
- Fennel
- Lettuce
- Swiss chard
- Kale
- Mustard greens
- Spinach
- Collard Greens
If you’re interested in consuming these veggies to help reduce your blood pressure, simply stir things like spinach into your stews, bake some kale chips or whip up some cabbage rolls!
3. Watermelon
This one might come as a shock, as most people assume that watermelon is mostly made of water and therefore comes with no health benefits to speak of. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, however, as watermelon contains an amino acid called citrulline which might help manage high blood pressure!
In simplest terms, citrulline helps the body produce nitric oxide, aka the gas that relaxes blood vessels and encourages blood flow. This, in turn, can help lower high blood pressure and may even help with hypertension according to some studies done in recent years.
If you’re looking to incorporate this fruit into your next meal, try putting it into salads or smoothies. If not, this fruit on its own is just as delicious!
4. Dark Chocolate
If vegetables and fruits aren’t doing it for you, what about, arguably, one of the most delectable treats ever — dark chocolate? This may come as quite a surprise to some, just like the watermelon one did, but it’s health benefits are 100% there! After completing a number of different trials, researchers have found that cocoa-rich chocolate (dark chocolate 70% or higher) can help reduce blood pressure in those suffering with hypertension. Of course, too much of anything isn’t good for you, but incorporating this sweet treat into your diet every now and then comes with quite a number of benefits!
5. Bananas
Did you know that potassium is a mineral that plays an extremely crucial role in managing hypertension? Were you also aware that potassium reduces the effects of sodium & relaxes any tension in the walls of the blood vessels? With all of these amazing health benefits, why wouldn’t you want to incorporate potassium into your diet! It has been shown that bananas contain around 422 milligrams of potassium, meaning that bananas are a fantastic source of potassium. Other foods that are high in this mineral include:
- Avocado
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tuna
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- And More!
Even with all of these amazing benefits, too much potassium can have a negative effect on those who suffer from kidney disease. If you have kidney disease, we advise that you talk to your doctor before making this diet change.
6. Fermented Food
Fermented food is often disliked due to the way in which foods are made to be fermented, but these foods are extremely good for you in a number of different ways. In specific, fermented foods contain large amounts of probiotics, which are crucial bacteria to help maintain gut health. In addition to this, eating probiotics can also help maintain high blood pressure according to a number of different studies conducted within the past while. Some of the fermented foods you can add to your diet include:
- Natural yogurt
- Miso soup/miso
- Kombucha
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Kimchi
- And much more!
If you are having trouble incorporating these foods into your diet, a good way to do so is by taking probiotic supplements everyday instead.
7. Oats
Oats are full of a fiber known as beta-glucan, which has been studied to possibly reduce blood cholesterol levels. It may also be beneficial in lowering blood pressure, according to different types of research.
With all of the benefits eating oats come with, why wait to incorporate this into your diet? Fiber isn’t just great for your blood pressure, but also good for your digestive system as well. Whether you want to eat this food by having oatmeal, using it to bread certain protein or sprinkle it on fruit and yogurt, the health benefits will be worth it.
8. Beets
Have you ever tried beet juice before? If not you should start drinking it, as this juice can help reduce blood pressure both short and long term! This is likely due to its high levels of inorganic nitrate, which is a compound that helps lower blood pressure.
If you don’t feel like drinking it as a juice, you can also slice beets and put it into your salad, or prepare them with other vegetables as a side dish. Either way, beets prove themselves to be great for your blood pressure.
9. Kiwis
This may sound crazy, but just a single daily serving of kiwi can reduce blood pressure in people with slightly elevated blood pressure levels, according to one study. This also includes apples as well.
Kiwis also happen to be rich in vitamin C, which can significantly improve blood pressure readings for those who get a proper intake of vitamin C every day for about two months. Kiwis are best in smoothies, but can also be great on their own as a snack at lunch.
10. Garlic
With a lovely smell and a great addition to almost every meal, garlic is a food full of flavour. It’s not just full of flavour, however — as this food is a natural antibiotic, meaning it’s pumped with allicin. This compound comes with a number of health benefits, and some research even suggests that garlic increases the production of nitric oxide. This compound, as we previously discussed, helps soothe the blood vessels and reduces hypertension.
There are so many ways in which you can incorporate garlic into your diet. You can add it to your favourite tomato sauce and eat it with pasta, put it into your next stir-fry, pop some into a breakfast omelet; the options are truly endless!
Let Our Team Help
If you’re dealing with high blood pressure and are in need of medical solutions that can help monitor your health and wellness, we here at Kanoxmed can help. Our team works extremely hard to provide all of our customers with quality at home monitoring products, so you can take care of your health wherever you go. To learn more about our blood pressure monitors, be sure to contact us at info@kanoxmed.com today!