7 Surprising Foods You Should Be Eating for Better Blood Pressure, According to Dietitians
You may not feel the pressure of blood flowing through your arteries, but that pressure can have substantial health impacts. High blood pressure (or hypertension) is one of several key risk factors for heart disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S. And even more shocking, almost half of U.S. adults have hypertension.
It’s usually tough to detect on your own, as there aren’t many noticeable signs or symptoms.3 Measuring your blood pressure with a monitor is the best way to learn if you’re within a healthy range.
The good news is that blood pressure can be managed through lifestyle changes like reducing stress, staying active, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet.
As far as diet goes, the American Heart Association recommends eating primarily plant-based foods, low-fat dairy, skinless poultry and fish and non-tropical vegetable oils. They suggest limiting saturated and trans fats, alcohol, sodium, fatty meats and added sugars.
Additionally, research shows that following the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can help lower your numbers. According to this diet, micronutrients especially beneficial for blood pressure are potassium, calcium and magnesium, whereas sodium is worth limiting.
That said, certain foods have key nutrients or unique properties that expand blood vessels and lower blood pressure. We talked with registered dietitians about the foods they recommend for lowering blood pressure that many people overlook.
The Best and Worst Foods for Healthy Blood Pressure
1. Beets
You may laugh off the saying “nothing beats beets,” but they’re high on the list of blood pressure-lowering foods. In fact, two of the dietitians we interviewed recommended them.
“These vibrant root veggies are high in nitrates, which is converted by the body into nitric oxide, a chemical messenger that relaxes and widens your blood vessels and promotes blood flow,” says Maria Sylvester Terry, M.S., RDN, LDN.
Nitrates also reduce the amount of work your heart has to do to pump blood through your system, explains Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, M.S., RD, LD, a registered dietitian and nutrition coach at Crave with Carlie.
Many studies have evaluated the benefits of beetroot juice, specifically since it’s high in nitrates. For example, a large meta-analysis of studies found that consuming 70 to 250 millilitres of beetroot juice daily for 3 to 60 days led to significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading).
Additionally, one half-cup serving of cooked beets provided about 5% of the Daily Value of potassium and magnesium—two important nutrients in the DASH diet.
Beaucejour recommends adding beets to salads or smoothies. Try our heart-healthy Roasted Beet Salad—you won’t be disappointed.
2. Potatoes
Often dismissed as too high on the glycemic index, potatoes are actually a nutrition-packed food worth incorporating into a blood pressure-friendly diet.
Terry notes that a single small potato (about 5 ounces) packs 515 milligrams of potassium—that’s more potassium than what you’d get in a banana!1011 This potassium helps the body excrete sodium and reduce tension in your blood vessel walls, which in turn helps lower blood pressure.
“Additionally, when prepared with the skin and cooked in an oil like olive or avocado, we get the benefits of fibre and heart-healthy fats, respectively,” adds Terry.
For a delicious side dish, give these Roasted Baby Potatoes with Scallions & Feta a try.
3. Tofu
There’s lots of confusing information out there about soy foods like tofu, but they’re generally considered safe unless you have a soy allergy.13 Not only are they safe, but various studies have found that higher intake of soy foods is linked with lower blood pressure.14
Researchers believe it has to do with plant compounds in soy called isoflavones. Studies have found that soy isoflavone supplementation alone lowers blood pressure. These isoflavones help dilate blood vessels, partly through enhancing secretion of nitric oxide (that chemical messenger we mentioned in beets).
Plus, “Edamame and tofu provide fibre, potassium and polyunsaturated fats, which support healthy heart function and vascular health,” explains Terry.
To start incorporating tofu into your diet, prep this Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry, which is made in just 20 minutes.
4. Garlic
Whether you like it in powder, extract, oil or whole form, incorporating garlic into your diet is a tasty way to lower blood pressure. In fact, both Terry and Mitzi de Maa, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at Your Latina Nutrition, recommend eating this pungent vegetable.
“Garlic can help lower blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure due to compounds like allicin, alliin, and S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC). They can fight inflammation, act as antioxidants and make your blood vessels wider, which is good for blood flow,” explains de Maa.
Impressively, a recent study found that taking a small dose of aged black garlic extract high in SAC helped reduce blood pressure and increase blood nitric oxide in participants with mild hypertension on medication.16
So, if garlic hasn’t been your best friend in the kitchen up until now, try buying a jar of minced garlic for salad dressings, roasting whole cloves with veggies, or using garlic powder to liven up almost any dish.
5. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds—also known as pepitas—are worth adding to your snack shelf for their blood pressure benefits. “Pumpkin seeds are an amazing source of magnesium and potassium, a combo of minerals that help lower blood pressure and promote heart health,” says Beaucejour.
Each ounce of unshelled pumpkin seeds has 156 mg of magnesium—37% of the DV—and 223 mg of potassium—5% of the DV.1789 These nutrients work together to lower blood pressure, which is why they’re both a part of the DASH diet.
“I love adding pumpkin seeds to my smoothies, salads and baked goods like zucchini or banana bread,” says Beaucejour. For a tasty snack, roast some pumpkin seeds and sprinkle with your favorite spice combination.
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6. Berries
Many people are confused about whether they should eat fruit or not because of its sugar content. Fruit is not only recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans but it’s also a food group that the DASH diet encourages you to eat.
Berries, in particular, are a beneficial fruit for hypertension. De Maa says, “Berries are rich in anthocyanins and some flavonols. Anthocyanins are what give berries their color, and they help prevent heart diseases.” Plus, one study found that eating a cup of blueberries per day improved blood flow and nitric oxide bioavailability.
For a delicious berry-packed breakfast, enjoy this Bircher Muesli.
7. Oranges
Another fruit you may overlook for blood pressure is oranges. “Oranges contain hesperidin, an antioxidant that may benefit heart health,” says Shana Minei Spence, M.S., RDN, CDN, founder of The Nutrition Tea.
Research shows that hesperidin benefits cardiovascular health in various ways, including helping reduce your blood pressure. This compound increases the bioavailability of nitric oxide and reduces inflammation and, as a result, it may help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (both numbers of blood pressure readings).
“Even drinking orange juice can be beneficial since you are still getting the vitamins and minerals,” says Spence. Each cup of OJ has about 10% of the DV of potassium!219 Just try to buy 100% fruit juice without added sugars. Or combine it with other ingredients to make a delicious smoothie, like our Berry Orange Smoothie.
The Bottom Line
No one food will magically improve blood pressure, but there are certain nutrients worth adding to your diet. Most blood pressure-friendly foods are high in potassium and plant compounds and low in sodium and saturated fat. “No food can replace medication, but it can be a great addition to one’s diet to potentially reap the health benefits,” says Beaucejour.
So enjoy experimenting with foods like garlic, potatoes, pumpkin seeds and tofu in your kitchen! And remember, dietary changes aren’t meant to add stress to your plate. After all, more stress isn’t helpful for blood pressure. So take it one step at a time and see what foods you can add to your day for better health.