High blood pressure, a.k.a. hypertension, can pose a serious risk to your health, especially as you age. Many factors, such as changes to your blood vessel structure, hormonal shifts, and less flexible arteries can contribute to rising blood pressure over the years. Lifestyle changes, such as your activity level and diet, can also play a role. Luckily, there are certain foods you can add to your diet to manage your blood pressure levels.
To discover a few of the best foods for the job, we consulted experts Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, Laura Ali, dietitian, and Jesse Feder, dietitian. They told us that leafy greens, beets, flaxseed, walnuts, yogurt, and flaxseeds are all great options. Learn more about the benefits of each below.
1. Leafy Greens
You've probably heard a lot about the importance of eating your greens—and we're about to give you one more reason to fit those veggies in! As it turns out, dark leafy greens could play a role in lowering your blood pressure. "Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and arugula, are rich in potassium which can aid the kidneys in excreting more sodium in the urine," Feder says. "This helps reduce blood pressure over time." On top of this, he notes that leafy greens are high in dietary fiber and antioxidants, "which have been shown to play a role in blood pressure reduction as well." Perfect!
2. Beets
Beets, with their bright color and earthy flavor, are more than just a colorful addition to salads and smoothies; they also pack a powerful punch when it comes to cardiovascular health. Feder explains that they "contain high amounts of a certain compound called nitric oxide which helps relax blood vessels and reduces blood pressure over time." When your blood vessels are dilated thanks to nitric oxide, your blood can flow more easily, reducing pressure on the arterial walls. Add them to your salad, enjoy them as a side, or whip up some beet soup—there are so many delicious, healthy possibilities out there! What's more, they come with added benefits, like better digestion and potential weight loss.
3. Walnuts
There are so many benefits to snacking on healthy nuts like walnuts, and Ali tells us that lowered blood pressure is just one of the perks at hand. "Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and an antioxidant called ellagic acid, all which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke," she notes. In fact, she points out that one study in the Journal of the American Heart Association "found that substituting walnuts for higher saturated fat foods helped reduce blood pressure over a 6-week period." Nice! That means swapping your processed snacks for a handful of nuts can do wonders for your overall health. Additionally, you can easily mix walnuts into a range of meals you eat on a regular basis. "Mix ¼ cup of chopped walnuts into your morning oatmeal, toss them in a salad or mix them into a chicken salad or on top of a vegetable pasta," Ali suggests.
4. Yogurt
Are you eating enough calcium? If not, Ali says you may want to up your intake—and not just for the sake of your bones, but for your heart health, too. "Calcium triggers our heart muscle to contract, pumping blood through our body," she explains. One great, tasty source of calcium is yogurt. "Research has shown that people that eat 5 or more servings of yogurt a week have a significantly reduced risk of high blood pressure than those who ate it less than once a month," Ali shares. Wow! Luckily, she points out that yogurt is an incredibly versatile food, so you shouldn't have a hard time fitting into into your diet. As it turns out, it's good for more than just parfaits! "Try adding plain or fruit flavored yogurt to a smoothie or add some lemon juice to it to make a fruit dip or herbs to make a creamy salad dressing. Use plain yogurt in place of sour cream or buttermilk in recipes. Use it to make a cream sauce or swap it for buttermilk or sour cream in baked goods," she lists. We're trying all of this ASAP!
5. Flaxseeds
Adding more fiber to your diet is a great way to help lower your blood pressure, and Richards says flaxseed is a fantastic source of this nutrient. "Flaxseed is high in fiber which helps to improve gut health, remove toxins from the body, and reduce cholesterol. Each of these benefits of fiber would aid in reducing blood pressure as a side effect," she explains. In order to reap the most benefits possible from this seed, however, she says you should make sure to eat ground flaxseed: "Flaxseed is absorbed best by the body when it is ground as enzymes are unable to adequately break apart the outer husk." Got it! Luckily, flaxseed can easily fit into a number of recipes, including smoothies, oatmeal, and "even some desserts." Yum! Count us in!
