Discover The Best Foods For Managing High Blood Pressure
In the world of health, it's often easier to find examples of foods people shouldn't eat than choices they should indulge in. And that's just as true for those dealing with high blood pressure as it is for people with diabetes or heart disease. But that doesn't mean that information isn't out there.
Doctors and dietitians have long recommended certain foods when the threat of hypertension is looming. And a comprehensive list of those foods can reveal not only what is sensible to eat when experiencing high blood pressure but also what could actually help lower it back down.
Kiwi
In a 2015 study in the Blood Pressure journal, researchers compared the effects of the intake of three kiwi fruits a day for eight weeks over an apple a day over the same time frame. By the time that period was over, the results matched what other research has suggested.
Namely, that kiwi fruit was responsible for lowering blood pressure both when the heart beats and when it's at rest between beats. At the very least, that blood pressure dips lower than those kiwi fruits are substituted for an apple.
Unsweetened Yogurt
According to Harvard Health, people who ensure that at least 2% of their caloric intake comes from unsweetened yogurt tend to have lower blood pressure and are up to 30% less likely to develop hypertension. In other words, eating at least six ounces of it every three days can have a surprising impact.
Citing information revealed at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research conference, Harvard Health noted that yogurt does not lower blood pressure or prevent hypertension on its own. Instead, it's part of an overall nutrient-rich diet that can fight high blood pressure circumstances. It's just an important part of that diet.
Grapefruits
According to the American Heart Association, the power of grapefruits as a health food has earned it a somewhat overblown reputation. But while the citrus fruit isn't a magical fat-burner, it is an impressive part of a healthy diet. That's partially because half of the average grapefruit can give someone half their day's supply of vitamin C while only adding 41 calories.
However, that's only scratching the surface. Grapefruits are also a good source of potassium, which dietitian Karen Collins said is an essential component of maintaining healthy blood pressure. Thanks to its phytochemical, beta-carotene, and lycopene content, grapefruits can also help lower the risk of strokes and heart disease.
Spinach
According to a 2015 study in the Clinical Nutrition Research journal, spinach was considered a potentially healthy supporter of heart health due to its high concentration of nitrates. This led researchers to measure the vegetable's effect on arterial stiffness and blood pressure over the course of seven days.
By the time that week had concluded, the researchers found that both the arterial stiffness and central blood pressure of participants had decreased. Although spinach didn't seem to affect brachial blood pressure, the researchers argued that central blood pressure was the more important of the two markers for healthy individuals.
Bananas
As Colleen Spees from the Ohio State University Medical Center told the American Heart Association, bananas are loaded with health benefits due to the nutrients and fiber in them. However, their most commonly associated mineral is the most helpful for managing blood pressure.
In Spees's words, "Potassium is a mineral that is vital for heart health, especially in terms of blood pressure management." That's good news because just one banana provides 11% of a man's daily recommended potassium and 16% of the level recommended for a woman. Although there are foods with more potassium in them, they're not as commonly eaten.
Pistachios
As dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick told Time, nuts are generally a great part of a healthy diet due to them being a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and more useful bodily fats. However, another dietitian named Melissa Majumdar specifically mentioned pistachios as an encouraging option.
She told Time that they can potentially lower blood pressure due to their phytosterols (which are also known to lower cholesterol), monounsaturated fatty acids, and high fiber content. This recommendation is in keeping with the findings of a 2021 study in the British Journal Of Nutrition, which credited pistachios with a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure.
Strawberries
As Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Eric Rimm told Harvard Health, strawberries are known to lower blood pressure due to the high concentration of chemical compounds called anthocyanins. These anthocyanins work by making blood vessels more elastic and easier for blood to flow through them.
That effect can have some significant implications for heart health. Dr. Rimm mentioned that women who had three or more servings of a half-cup of strawberries per week were 37% less likely to experience heart attacks than those who had fewer berries.
Salmon
While promoting his team's research, Dr. Alister McNeish from the University of Reading explained that salmon is one of several oily fish that's good for promoting heart health. Although this was well-established by the time his team started working, the reason why these fish were so helpful was less clear.
However, Dr. McNeish's findings suggested that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in salmon help to lower the body's blood pressure. This is likely because the fish oils open up small pores in blood vessels called potassium channels, which then widen the blood vessels at large.
Oranges
A 2013 study in the ARYA Atherosclerosis journal found that standard commercial orange juice can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while a 2022 study in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found a similar effect was present in the fruits themselves.
In the latter study, potential reasons for this decreasing effect centered around the vitamin C and potassium content of the fruits. Since both of these nutrients are positively associated with blood pressure reduction and oranges are a good source of them, it's the most likely factor.
Cinnamon
In a 2013 study published in Nutrition, the short-term consumption of cinnamon was found to decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly. However, the lack of research supporting these findings at the time led the study's authors to be cautiously optimistic about their results.
Indeed, cinnamon's effectiveness in reducing blood pressure has been a matter of debate among scientists in the decade since. A 2021 study in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine found that cinnamon does have this lowering effect on systolic blood pressure but described the statistically significant reduction as manifesting in a more moderate way from a clinical standpoint.
Sweet Potatoes
According to the British Heart Foundation, having four or more servings of potatoes is more likely to raise a person's blood pressure than lower it. Although potatoes have some components that would normally lower blood pressure, their high concentration of carbohydrates can have the opposite effect in excess.
That's partially why sweet potatoes can be a viable alternative, as the Cleveland Clinic noted that they have a third fewer carbs than white potatoes. However, they're still considered high in carbs, so avoiding that four servings a week threshold is still needed to avoid counteracting the fiber, vitamin C, and potassium in them with an excess of carbohydrates.
Oregano
As dietitian Melissa Azzaro told Yahoo! Life, "Although research in human subjects is limited, oregano contains many powerful plant compounds, like carvacrol, that have been shown to have potential health benefits in test tube and animal studies." One of these studies was published in Planta Medica in 2007 and demonstrated that carvacrol relaxed the blood vessels of rats, which lowered their blood pressure.
Of course, it's important to remember that what works for rats doesn't always work for humans, and the effects of oregano on human blood pressure are still in the early stages of research. Still, Azzaro identified them as one of the richest sources of antioxidants, especially considering how little of the herb can potentially make a difference.
Brown Rice
According to the Mayo Clinic, the brown color of whole-grain rice is the result of skipping a refining step that removes the bran and germ from the product. Although the less healthy white rice is a popular food, a lot of nutrients are taken away by this refining process, which makes brown rice a healthy choice for many reasons.
But while the fiber, magnesium, folate, iron, and selenium in brown rice each have their own value, the potassium content is essential for regulating blood pressure and preventing hypertension. The Mayo Clinic also characterized brown rice as doing less damage to blood vessels than its white counterpart.
Lemons
In a 2014 study in the Journal Of Nutrition And Metabolism, researchers measured the effects of daily walking and daily lemon ingestion on blood pressure. Both were found to help lower blood pressure, but they worked at that goal in different ways.
As the study's authors wrote, the citric acid in the lemon generates calcium citrate from inorganic salts in the body and makes them easier for the body to absorb. It's also possible that lemon makes the body's absorption of calcium and magnesium more efficient, which also has a potential effect in lowering blood pressure.
Beets
As Catherine Champagne from Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center told the American Heart Association, the health benefits of beets and beetroot range from high concentrations of vitamin B9 to high fiber, high phytonutrient content, and low fat and calories.
However, the most relevant component for blood pressure is the beet's high concentration of nitrates. The American Heart Association cited research showing that beetroot juice has the potential to decrease blood pressure, increase blood flow, and increase the body's oxygen uptake.
Walnuts
In a 2019 study that was published in Hypertension, researchers tested the effects of a walnut-heavy diet on the blood pressure levels of older adults, and 60% of the participants they studied had mild hypertension. What they found was that walnuts lowered these participants' systolic blood pressure, with the effect being particularly pronounced for the ones with hypertension.
However, the promising results of that study were tempered by a 2020 study published in Phytotherapy Research. Although the 2020 study's authors found that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were lowered by walnuts, they weren't lowered in a way that effectively translated to clinical practice. Although they may be beneficial for blood pressure, walnuts may not be as powerful in that respect as their reputation suggests.
Dark Chocolate
In a 2010 study in BMC Medicine, researchers analyzed existing research into flavanol-rich cocoa products like dark chocolate. Although they found that while the substance couldn't reliably reduce mean blood pressure below 140/80, they could influence systolic and diastolic blood pressure enough to reduce hypertension and prehypertension.
AARP also cited a Harvard study that dark chocolate containing between 50% and 70% cocoa lowered blood pressure in all participation cohorts that researchers saw. However, this effect seemed the most pronounced in subjects who were already experiencing hypertension.
Tuna
Although people sometimes look down on canned tuna, there are benefits in it that don't go away once that fish ceases to be considered fresh. According to the Mayo Clinic, that's because tuna is one of the fish credited for a high level of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 acids reduce damage to blood vessels not only by cutting inflammation but also by lowering the risk of irregular heartbeats, lowering triglycerides fats in the blood, and slightly reducing blood pressure. This happens when at least two servings of tuna a week are eaten, and the Mayo Clinic specifically includes canned tuna in its list of appropriate fish.
Beans
According to a 2008 study in the Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition, beans are a boon to a person's health in many ways. Those who regularly ate beans were found to have lower body weights and higher intakes of fiber, magnesium, iron, potassium, and copper than those who didn't.
Since one of those nutrients was potassium, it's perhaps not so surprising to learn that bean consumption was also positively linked to lower systolic blood pressure. However, this was particularly true when it came to baked bean consumption.
Oats
According to a 2002 study in the Journal Of Family Practice, oat-heavy diets were found to improve a person's insulin sensitivity and reduce both their total cholesterol and the specifically concerning low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, those weren't the only benefits researchers saw in oatmeal and oat cereals.
That's because this oat-roch diet was also found to reduce systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in those with hypertension. As such, oats were positioned as a way to prevent high blood pressure and to help bring it back down.
Blueberries
As Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Eric Rimm told Harvard Health, research has shown that blueberries are beneficial enough to heart health that women who ate three or more half-cups of them a week were 37% less likely to experience heart attacks than others.
Why are they so effective? Well, that comes down to chemical compounds found in them called anthocyanins. These compounds are known to make the body's blood vessels more elastic and accommodating, which lowers a person's blood pressure.
Watermelon
As Tim Allerton from Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center told the American Heart Association, watermelon is loaded with a surprising number of nutrients that include potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants such as lycopene and glutathione.
Yet, while some of those components have been identified as positive agents for lowering blood pressure, Allerton added that watermelon also contains a rarer one. This is an amino acid called citrulline, and some studies have suggested that it can also lower blood pressure. That said, it's worth noting that participants in the study demonstrating this ate about three pounds of watermelon a day for six weeks.
Basil
According to the Cleveland Clinic, basil's vitamin and antioxidant content make the popular herb a surprisingly healthy addition to any meal. However, these nutrients aren't the components of basil that make it the most likely to lower a person's blood pressure.
As dietitian Gillian Culbertson told the clinic, tulsi (or holy basil) contains eugenol. This is an oil that is known to relax blood vessels, which thereby leads to lower blood pressure. It's likely a big part of why basil has often demonstrated an ability to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in animal studies.
Cabbage
Cabbage is a vegetable versatile enough to provide the building blocks for a long line of other vegetables like broccoli and kale, and it has the nutrients to match. In addition to vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and protein, cabbage contains antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are known to reduce inflammation.
However, dietitian Julia Zumpano told the Cleveland Clinic that cabbages are also rich in potassium, which is known to help reduce blood pressure. Indeed, cabbage is rich enough in the mineral that just one cup of red cabbage can account for 6% of a person's daily recommended intake.
Almonds
According to the Mayo Clinic, raw almonds are about on par with pistachios for fat and caloric content but are potentially just as effective in lowering blood pressure. This is potentially due to the presence of an amino acid called L-arginine.
As the clinic cited, some research suggests that this amino acid not only lowers blood pressure but also improves cholesterol levels and supports the health and integrity of blood vessels. A 2020 study in Complementary Therapies In Medicine confirmed this effect, particularly in terms of diastolic blood pressure.
Whole-Grain Bread
According to the Mayo Clinic, people should eat about three ounces of whole-grain products per day, which is equivalent to about three slices of whole-grain bread. This is mostly because it has nutrients that white bread and similar products tend to skimp on, such as magnesium, folate, iron, and selenium.
However, its other nutrients are more relevant to maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Its fiber content reduces the likelihood of overeating, while its potassium content is instrumental to its potential to lower blood pressure directly.
Pumpkin Seeds
According to Harvard Health, pumpkin seeds have a significant and perhaps surprising nutritional load. They contain various minerals and unsaturated fats while also being high in fiber. However, they're unique in another important aspect of maintaining heart health.
That's because they're one of the best natural sources of magnesium. Although other foods often achieve their effects to regulate blood pressure through potassium, magnesium is also supposed to prevent blood pressure levels from getting too high. It seems worth a try.
Grapes
According to UCLA Health clinical nutrition chief Zhaoping Li, concerns about the sugars present in grapes have long overshadowed their health benefits. In addition to its history of lowering cholesterol and the anti-inflammatory properties of the antioxidant resveratrol, grapes can also potentially influence blood pressure levels.
This is likely due to its potassium content, as that mineral is commonly associated with lowering blood pressure. In the case of grapes, it's not unusual for them to help in cases where people have high systolic blood pressure. This is important because that type is most relevant to the onset of heart disease.
Garlic
Although garlic has some potential for lowering blood pressure, cardiologist Ashish Sarraju told the Cleveland Clinic that most of this potential hasn't been explored yet. Research into the matter is limited, and it remains unclear if any effect garlic has is due to its vitamin B12 content or its ability to create nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide in the body.
If it's the latter answer, then the most likely reality is that garlic lowers blood pressure by relaxing and expanding the blood vessels. However, Kristina Petersen from Texas Tech University told the American Heart Association that any significant effects of garlic are more likely to come from concentrated supplements than seasoning. And those supplements aren't recommended unless taken with a doctor's oversight.
Popcorn
Although popcorn can be surprisingly healthy, that's more true for popcorn that's made at home instead of purchased at movie theaters. As Maya Vadiveloo from the University Of Rhode Island told the American Heart Association, that's because of the large amount of salt, butter, and oils that they tend to use.
That said, air-popped and lightly seasoned popcorn is even higher in fiber than other whole grains like whole-wheat bread. However, the component in the snack that's most likely to influence healthy blood pressure levels is an antioxidant called polyphenols, which is positively associated with improved blood circulation and digestion.
Red Lentils
As dietitian Elyse Homan told the Cleveland Clinic, just half a cup of cooked red lentils contains about 270 milligrams of potassium. That in and of itself makes this type of lentil helpful for lowering blood pressure, but there is an indirect reason why it can help as well.
One common use for lentils is as a high-protein alternative to red meats, which are some of the most likely foods to increase blood pressure dangerously. So red lentils can not only bring it back down but also help health-conscious folks avoid the easiest culinary way to make blood pressure spike.
Mushrooms
According to UCLA Health, mushrooms add savory flavor to meals without the need for added sodium, which increases blood pressure by making the body retain more fluid. Since a cup of button mushrooms has just five milligrams of sodium, it's a viable choice for those with high blood pressure.
Although it's scant, there's also a little evidence that certain mushrooms may lower blood pressure on their own. A 1989 study in the Journal Of Nutritional Science And Vitaminology saw hypertensive rats reduce blood pressure by eating Maitake mushrooms but it's unclear whether this is also true in humans.
Avocados
As Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health told the American Heart Association, just one avocado serving contains 20% of a person's daily recommended fiber intake. That matters a great deal because fiber-rich diets can decrease the risk of heart disease by 30% and they're known to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure.
A 2018 study in Nutrition also found that avocado oil helped mitigate the kidney damage seen in hypertensive rats, while a 2023 study in the British Journal Of Nutrition found that frequent avocado consumption was likely contributing to lower rates of hypertension among women in Mexico.
Peas
Although people tend to associate peas with other vegetables, they're technically legumes like beans or lentils. As such, they're known to have similar effects on blood pressure as these other foods. That's why the Mayo Clinic incorporated them into its explanation of the DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
A 2011 study in the Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry specifically found that the pea's main proteins (when hydrolyzed) led to consistent blood pressure reduction in both hypertensive rats and human participants who also experienced hypertension.
Quinoa
As a 2021 study in Nutrients outlined, quinoa has a history of demonstrating a significant ability to combat hypertension under in vitro circumstances. However, that study was one of the first to show a similar effect in living subjects.
When quinoa was tested on hypertensive rats, the grain was shown to lower their blood pressure and made the resulting feces look more like it belonged to non-hypertensive rats. Although more research is required to show whether it has a similar effect in humans, the results are promising, albeit messy.
Kale
According to the Mayo Clinic, kale's nutrient profile that includes vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, carotenoids, manganese, fiber and folates make it a veritable superfood. These nutrients are also the reason why the clinic credits kale for regulating blood pressure, among other benefits.
That description was confirmed by a 2015 study in Nutrition Research And Practice, which studied the effects of kale juice on hypertension patients in South Korea. As a result, all patients who received the juice for six weeks saw significant reductions in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Tomatoes
According to a 2019 study in Nutrients, a combination of the lycopene in tomatoes and its other nutrients were found to effectively reduce systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, whereas a dose of pure lycopene wasn't nearly as effective.
These findings were confirmed by a 2023 study in the European Journal Of Preventative Cardiology, which outright stated that both tomatoes and their associated products are helpful in preventing and managing hypertension. They added that high tomato consumption reduces the risk of hypertension by 36% and moderate consumption can lower blood pressure (especially in moderate hypertension cases).
Olive Oil
In a 2020 study in Nutrients, researchers found a preponderance of evidence to suggest that olive oil is a consistently effective anti-hypertensive agent. Although they found it hard to tell whether the oleic acid or polyphenol antioxidants were the more significant contributing factor, they concluded that the totality of extra virgin olive oil is effective at regulating blood pressure.
Based on their findings, the study's authors declared olive oil an optimal choice when crafting a diet plan to manage high blood pressure in both cardiac patients and otherwise healthy people with this problem. Indeed, there's much about the Mediterranean diet that seems helpful in this respect.
Carrots
According to a 2021 study in Nutrients, researchers found evidence to suggest that carrots not only had some properties that helped them to prevent and manage high blood pressure, but also to reduce the risk of artery clogging at large.
The only problem is that this study was conducted on mice. Without further research to determine whether these results translate to human subjects, it's hard to tell how effective carrots truly are at managing high blood pressure. They couldn't hurt, though.
Pomegranates
Although the Mount Sinai Health System noted that pomegranate juice seemed to help manage plaque in certain research, they noted that this research was conducted on mice. However, the organization also noted some preliminary evidence that suggested it can be helpful for humans too.
Although research into the health effects of pomegranates are still preliminary, it has shown some promising results. Drinking pomegranate juice every day could result in a decrease of systolic blood pressure. However, it hasn't shown any similar effect on diastolic blood pressure.