I’ve came across an advertisement while I was on a train that read, “High Blood Pressure-Silent Killer.” This is certainly true. More and more people are fallen victim to this common condition and one of the main causes is usually the type of foods we eat. This condition can be controlled and it starts with the changes in our diet. Here are seven foods we can eat today to lower our blood pressure.
The first food to include in your diet is dark chocolate. This type of chocolate is said to have a lot of nutritional benefits and lowering of blood pressure is one of them. Research shows that dark chocolate can modestly reduce blood pressure for those with high blood pressure, but not for people with normal blood pressure. They also said that further research is still needed.
The second food to look at is often in smoothies and this is flaxseeds. In a study, people who added 30g of flaxseeds to their diet every day for six months say their systolic blood pressure drop around 15mmHg and their diastolic blood pressure to around 8mmHg. Researchers even concluded that the drop in blood pressure from eating flaxseeds could result in 50 percent less strokes and 30 percent less heart attacks. So including flaxseeds in your diet could possibly do your BP good.
The next food is pomegranates. This fruit has been long linked to regulating blood pressure. One study found participants who drank 500ml of pomegranate juice had a reduction in blood pressure. So definitely make room for pomegranate within your regular food consumption.
The fourth food is high in potassium, but it is also good in regulating your blood pressure as well. It is none other than bananas. Eating bananas has been also great in balancing out the negative effects of salt. So be sure to eat at least five portions of fruit and veggies every day in order to gain more potassium in your diet.
Eating whole grain versions of regular food, such as porridge could also help in regulating your blood pressure. Rolled oats is another whole grain option to try. However, you should watch your portion size when eating these foods.
We know the sixth food is a common vegetable you must have in your diet, but it is also good in lowering your blood pressure. That veggie I’m referring to is broccoli. A Northwestern University Chicago study says that because of broccoli being high in the amino acid glutamic acid, it has been linked to lower blood pressure. So you may want to do yourself a favor and don’t ignore broccoli in daily food intake.
The seventh and last food happens to be beetroot juice. Beetroot are already a nutritious super food, but they also contain nitrates which help lower your BP reading. A University of London study says that you could really benefit in drinking a cup of beetroot juice each day. So definitely make room for beetroot juice in your diet.
There are plenty of other foods that are also beneficial in lowering your blood pressure,but these seven are a good way to start. So do yourself and your body a huge favor in watching what you put in it.
Know other good foods that people should include in their diet in lowering their blood pressure? Feel free to share these foods by leaving a comment at the bottom of this article. Want more good healthy news like this for the soul and your well being? Subscribe to my blog by filling out the form on the About Good News page.
