Good food choices are good investments. Yes, eating healthy can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. Choosing your diet wisely can help in tackling high blood pressure. Know these fruits that can help you manage high BP.
Hippocrates once said, “Let Food Be Thy Medicine, Thy Medicine Shall Be Thy Food”.
Trying to eat healthy can sometimes be challenging, but know that it’s worth the effort. Choosing a healthy diet is choosing a better life. Incorporating veggies and fruits in your daily diet can prevent you from many diseases. Some vegetables like spinach, beetroot, tomato, etc., have the potential of lowering your blood pressure, hence including them in your diet can make a big difference.
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What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure can vary throughout the day depending on your activities. However, when your blood pressure is consistently above the normal range (120/80 mm Hg) it is considered as high blood pressure or hypertension.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The blood pressure reading consists of two numbers, the top number refers to the systolic pressure, which indicates the pressure in your blood vessels while your heart beats and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure which indicates the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest.
In a healthy adult, the blood pressure is considered high when the systolic blood pressure is higher than or equal to 140 mm Hg and the diastolic blood pressure is greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg.
Why is it Necessary to Manage Your Blood Pressure Levels?
It is difficult to know if you are suffering from high blood pressure as it rarely shows any symptoms unless your blood pressure reaches high levels. However, it can easily be diagnosed during routine screenings.
An early diagnosis and management are important in the case of hypertension, as uncontrolled hypertension can cause damage to your blood vessels and affect the functioning of vital organs such as your heart and kidneys.
What is the Role of Diet in Lowering Your Blood Pressure?
Simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can help you manage your blood pressure. What you eat can impact your blood pressure positively or negatively. Therefore choose your diet wisely.
Did you know that including certain vegetables in your diet can help lower your blood pressure?
Yes! That’s true! Read on to know the best vegetables for high blood pressure.
10 Best Vegetables For High Blood Pressure
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in potassium which plays a crucial role in balancing the sodium content in your body and thus controls your blood pressure. It also contains an antioxidant called lycopene which is beneficial for heart health.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can effectively reduce your blood pressure as they are rich in potassium and some heart-healthy nutrients such as magnesium and manganese. It also contains antioxidants and vitamin C which help in lowering your blood pressure.
3. Beetroot
Beetroots are high in organic nitrates that are effective in reducing inflammation and lowering blood pressure. Consuming raw beetroot juice has shown to lower blood pressure within a few hours of consumption.
4. Spinach
Spinach is rich in lutein. It helps in preventing the thickening of the artery walls and thus plays a role in reducing the risk of high blood pressure. Spinach is also rich in nutrients such as potassium, folate, and magnesium which help in keeping your blood pressure in check.
5. Cabbage
Cabbage is high in potassium which helps maintain the water balance in your body. It also helps in dilating your blood vessels and thus improving circulation. Therefore, it plays an important role in managing your blood pressure.
6. Carrots
Carrots are packed with potassium. Potassium helps in reducing the tension in your blood vessels and thereby improves your blood circulation. Thus it helps in bringing down your elevated blood pressure levels.
7. Celery
Celery is rich in phthalides which is a phytochemical. It helps in relaxing your artery walls and improves circulation. This helps in lowering your blood pressure.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids. It is also a rich source of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. This makes it an ideal vegetable to manage your blood pressure.
9. Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils are rich in fiber, magnesium, and potassium. These nutrients can help in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
10. Lettuce
Green leafy vegetables such as lettuce are high in potassium. It balances the sodium levels in the body and thus maintains the water balance. As it keeps the blood volume in check it helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Foods to Avoid for High Blood Pressure
While some food helps in lowering your blood pressure, others can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. These include salty food, alcohol, and food and drinks that contain caffeine.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Blood pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of your arteries. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
- In a healthy adult, the blood pressure is considered high when the systolic blood pressure is higher than or equal to 140 mm Hg and the diastolic blood pressure is greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg.
- An early diagnosis and management are important in the case of hypertension, as uncontrolled hypertension can cause damage to your blood vessels and affect the functioning of vital organs such as your heart and kidneys.
- Including certain vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroot, spinach, and carrots in your diet can help in lowering your blood pressure.
- Salty food, alcohol and food and drinks that contain caffeine can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
- Use the Phable Care App to consult India’s leading cardiologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate BP monitors and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Also, check out our Hypertension Management program which provides 360º care. Let’s treat low/high blood pressure problems together.
Friendly Asked Questions
Ginger not only adds flavor to your food but also helps in lowering your blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. Adding ginger to your food and drinks is an effective way to control your BP.
Vegetables that are high in potassium and rich in minerals and antioxidants can help reduce your blood pressure. They include tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, cabbage, and carrots.
Diet plays an important role in lowering or elevating your blood pressure. What you eat can impact your blood pressure positively or negatively. Therefore choose your diet wisely.
Eggs are a powerhouse of proteins and studies show that some compounds in egg yolk can help keep your blood pressure in check.
Carrots are high in potassium which helps improve your circulation and thus lowers your blood pressure.
Tomatoes are a powerhouse of potassium. It helps maintain the water balance in the body and also plays a role in relaxing the artery walls. This helps lower your blood pressure.