Food for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a medical condition in which the force of the blood hitting the artery walls is so strong that it causes various heart diseases. Your body’s blood pressure is established by the volume of blood your heart pumps and the volume of blood resistance to its flow in your arteries.

When your heart pumps blood, it creates pressure inside the arteries. Your blood pressure is measured in "mm Hg", which means millimetres of mercury.

If the BP machine reads 120/80, your blood pressure is perfectly normal. The upper value represents the systolic pressure, while the lower value represents the diastolic pressure. Let's look at the following table to understand the blood pressure range.

Hypertension can be caused by numerous factors. It can be hereditary, or it can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Here are the details for the same.

In order to deal with elevated blood pressure, you must eat healthy, and work out. You should also purchase health insurance for yourself and your family, so if things ever go south, you have a cushion for all the financial requirements.

Now, talking about the dietary changes to control your blood pressure, you can incorporate a few of the following foods into your daily routine to maintain a healthy heart.

• Citrusy foods

Lemons, grapefruits, and oranges are not only healthy food for high blood pressure but are also great for the respiratory system. Such foods come with a good amount of minerals, vitamins, and plant compounds. One of the studies conducted on Japanese women shows that drinking lemon juice in conjunction with walking helps to lower systolic blood pressure. Another study found that grapefruit interferes with various blood pressure medications. As a result, consult your doctor before incorporating them into your diet.

• Fatty fish

Fatty fish, like salmon, are rich in Omega-3 fats, which have numerous health benefits. When these fats are included in a diet, they reduce inflammation in the heart and the levels of oxylipins (compounds known for constricting blood vessels). You are less likely to develop hypertension if you consume more Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, and that is why it is one of the best foods for high BP patients.

• Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds have a high nutritional value. They contain a lot of arginine, magnesium, and potassium. Using it as food for high blood pressure will help to relax the blood vessels while lowering the blood pressure. It is also an excellent home remedy for high blood pressure. One study found that taking three grams of pumpkin oil daily for six weeks can help lower systolic blood pressure.

• Lentils and beans

Lentils and beans are, without a doubt, the best foods to eat for high blood pressure. They are high in magnesium, fibre, and potassium, all of which are known to help regulate blood pressure levels.

• Berries

Berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc., are well-known for keeping heart disease at bay and, therefore, are the things to eat in high BP conditions. They are a good source of antioxidants like anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are small pigments that give berries their colour. Various studies have suggested that anthocyanins help to increase the levels of nitric oxide in your blood, which then helps to reduce the production of molecules known to constrict blood vessels.

• Carrots

This one is possibly the most common food you can incorporate into your diet. Carrots are high in phenolic compounds such as caffeic, chlorogenic, and p-coumaric acid. These compounds relax your blood vessels and help to reduce inflammation in your heart. Including carrots in the diet of high BP patients, particularly those aged 40 to 60 years, can be extremely beneficial in terms of systolic blood pressure.

It is advisable to consume raw carrots instead of cooked ones. As the former is more beneficial.

• Tomatoes

Consuming tomatoes or related food products provide your body with nutrients such as lycopene (carotenoid pigment) and potassium. Lycopene is known to reduce the risk of death caused due to cardiovascular diseases.

• Broccoli

If you are searching for the most inexpensive food for high BP patients, look no further than broccoli. Broccoli has various heart benefits. It improves your circulatory system, lowers blood pressure, and prevents various heart diseases.

Broccoli is high in flavonoid antioxidants, which increase the levels of nitric oxide in your body. According to a study conducted on over 1.5 lakh people, it was found that consuming at least four servings of broccoli a week lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases caused by high blood pressure.

• Spices and herbs

Indian spices and herbs are well-known throughout the world for their numerous health benefits. Spices like cinnamon, saffron, black cumin, and ginseng are known to reduce the risk of heart disease. You can improve your heart health by including ginger in your diet. A cup of ginger tea can also be beneficial.

Several studies on humans and animals have demonstrated the benefits of spices in dealing with heart disease.

• Beets

There is some debate about the benefits of beets and beet juice for heart health. However, various studies have shown that adding beets or beet-related products can have a significant benefit when it comes to lowering high blood pressure. Beets are high in nitrates which soothes blood vessels.

However, long-term use of beets to maintain blood pressure levels makes no significant difference.

• Spinach

In case you are looking for green leafy things to eat during a high BP, adding spinach to your diet is one of the best alternatives. Spinach, like beets, has a high nitrate content. Apart from that, they are also high in magnesium, antioxidants, calcium, and potassium. According to one study, drinking 500 mL of spinach juice daily for a week helps to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Spinach juice also provides relief to patients with stiff arteries.

• Pistachios

Pistachios are high in various nutrients, such as potassium, which are known to lower blood pressure levels. You can add them to your diet and can keep your BP levels under check.

Eating the healthy foods mentioned above can help you keep your blood pressure in check. You should also engage in some physical activities such as brisk walking, an early morning jog, and lightweight exercises to protect yourself from various cardiovascular ailments. In order to provide an additional safety cushion, make sure you compare health insurance policies on Tata AIG before buying one.

Why Tata AIG? Because it is one of the leading health insurance providers in India, with a claim settlement ratio of 98%. It is easy to buy and renew, and also the claim submission process is extremely easy.