Healthy eating tips for high blood pressure patients

Nutritionist and diabetes care expert Jessica Ball (working in the US) said that high blood pressure is a common medical condition, often known as a silent killer, because it increases the risk of other diseases related to a person's heart, eyes, kidneys and brain, according to Eating Well magazine.

“What you eat can affect your blood pressure,” Ball says. She adds that a diet low in sodium and high in potassium can have a positive impact on the health of people with high blood pressure.

Limiting salt and replacing it with herbal spices is better for blood pressure.

Specifically, research has shown that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, unsalted nuts, whole grains, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil are beneficial for blood pressure.

In line with this view, the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) said that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods often helps keep sodium levels low. Accordingly, the ideal level of sodium that people with high blood pressure should consume is less than 2,300 mg/day. Reducing it to about 1,500 mg/day can help lower blood pressure even more.

The NHLBI also suggests a healthy diet for adults with high blood pressure that includes:

Vegetables: 4-5 servings/day, choosing a variety of colors. A serving is 1 cup raw greens or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.

Fruit: about 4-5 servings/day. An example of a serving of fruit is about 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen fruit or 1/2 cup of fruit juice.

Whole grains: 6-8 servings/day. A serving includes 1 slice of whole-grain bread or 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.

Low-fat dairy products: 2-3 servings/day. One serving is equivalent to one cup of low-fat yogurt or 42g of cheese.

Lean meat, poultry and fish: about 6 servings/day or less, and no more than 170 grams of meat per day.

Sweets: less than 5 servings/week. A serving is 1 tablespoon of sugar, jelly or sweet jam.

In addition, patients with high blood pressure should also limit salt when cooking, instead using fresh and dried herbs and spices, such as garlic, basil, dill, parsley, paprika... to balance the flavor of the dish.

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