High blood pressure is a big danger in our modern culture. But unfortunately, a lot of people have the wrong idea about it.
A lot of people blame it on just having bad luck or bad genetics. But the truth is actually much more sinister.
The vast majority of cases of high blood pressure could be fixed with lifestyle changes.
And a big part of that process is choosing to eat a healthier diet. Most people don’t want to hear that their diet could be causing their blood pressure issues.
However, even though the truth hurts sometimes, it’s still important to take it into account so that you can make better changes for your future.
And in this post, you’re going to learn about 5 of the best foods to eat to help you keep your blood pressure under control.
Let’s dive into it.
1. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are delicious and nutritious.
They provide all kinds of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C.
Plus, when you choose to snack on citrus fruits as opposed to snacking on cookies, candy, or cake, you’ll actually be consuming a more calorie-efficient option that will actually give your body nutrients and vitamins instead of filling you with processed carbohydrates, sugar, and oils that’ll contribute to more blood pressure problems.
For best results, eat a wide range of different types of citrus fruits on a daily basis.
It really matters!
2. Fatty Fish
Some examples of fatty fish that are good for high blood pressure include salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and tuna.
These are excellent sources of omega-3 fats, which have many healthy-heart benefits. They also help to reduce blood pressure levels by reducing inflammation.
Fatty fish is also delicious.
You can prepare them in a range of different ways, and you can pair them with other healthy food options like salad or fruit.
To be honest, there are few things in this world that beat a good salmon steak!
It tastes good, and it’s great for you.
3. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are good for your heart.
They’re potassium-rich, and help you to excrete more sodium—which helps to lower blood pressure levels. Plus, since they help trigger the production of serotonin in the brain, they’re also good for helping to enhance your cannabis high if you smoke!
Veriheal describes it like this:
“These sweet treats also trigger the production of a feel-good chemical in the brain known as serotonin. The vitamin B6 content of sweet potatoes also helps regulate emotions. When consumed together, the effects of these vitamins, minerals, and the production of serotonin can increase the feelings of relaxation and euphoria that are associated with cannabis.”
Hey—we knew we loved sweet potatoes for more than one good reason!
4. Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidants—including anthocyanin, which also happens to give them their beautiful array of colors.
These ‘anthocyanins’ help to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, and reduce the production of molecules that restrict the blood vessels. In other words—there’s a lot of evidence to show that they actually do a lot to help reduce blood pressure levels.
For best results, eat a range of berries every day.
You can start with some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
You can eat these berries raw and fresh, or you can buy them frozen and thaw them out a little bit to enjoy them cold.
You can even bake them into pies and other desserts to help give your sweets a little healthy kick!
5. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is filled with vitamins and minerals—including potassium and calcium.
Many studies have shown that consuming 3 servings of dairy per day was associated with lower high blood pressure risk—and yogurt is a healthy tool to help you meet this threshold.
Another awesome thing about Greek yogurt is that it pairs well with a lot of different things.
For example, you can mix it with those berries that we mentioned earlier. You can also mix it with nuts, granola, or even a little bit of honey as a sweetener.
Another awesome thing about Greek yogurt is that it often comes in different flavors.
Consider trying the vanilla flavor, along with some blueberries and raspberries—with a little granola sprinkled on top.
It’s an amazing snack, and super healthy!
Conclusion
Hopefully, this post has helped you to learn some crucial information about foods that you can eat that may help you to control your blood pressure.
Just remember, eating the right foods is only part of the battle.
You also want to avoid eating unhealthy foods so that you don’t contribute any more to your blood pressure troubles.
This mostly means cutting out fried foods and foods that are full of processed and refined sugar.
Stick to healthier whole foods, and eat controlled portions—and your blood pressure should begin to decrease.