Are There Really Foods that Reduce Blood Pressure?
People who have hypertension hold with prime interest on determining the foods that reduce blood pressure in order to include in their daily diet. Certainly, these foods must also be safe in lowering the blood pressure so as to prevent any unnecessary complications produced by an unplanned and disorganized diet plan.
High blood pressure, dubbed as the “silent killer,” is one of the leading causes of premature death not only in the United States but also in other countries. Around 400,000 Americans die of high blood pressure every year, thus it is imperative to find harmless ways to minimize blood pressure levels especially for those who are going on with their years.
The choice of one’s food preferences do affect blood pressure, as hypertension responds to the food ingested by a person. Thus, it is important to include foods that reduce blood pressure in one’s meal to ensure protection against this silent killer. Some of the foods that reduce blood pressure will be tackled in this article.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Potassium Rich Foods
Potassium-rich foods. Also included in the foods that reduce blood pressure are those fruits that are abundant in potassium such as bananas, papayas and guavas. Some vegetables such as lima beans, beets, tomatoes, lentils and avocado are also excellent sources of potassium. Goat’s and Cow’s milk also contain significant amount of potassium.
Studies, especially in the 90s and the early 2000s, have shown that potassium can reduce blood pressure. Foods that are rich in potassium, therefore, foods that reduce blood pressure.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate. As crazy as it may seem, dark chocolates can also be considered as food that reduces blood pressure. A 2007 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association have shown that eating a shown amount of chocolate every day can reduce systolic pressure by about 2.9 mm/Hg and the diastolic pressure by approximately 1.9 mm/Hg.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Garlic
Garlic. Australian researchers have found out in 2008 that garlic supplements have the ability to lower a person’s blood pressure. An 8.4 mm/Hg drop in the diastolic reading, and a 7.3 mm/Hg diastolic reading has been detected in the participants given garlic supplements for 12 to 23 weeks.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Spinach
Spinach. Containing magnesium, potassium and nitrates, minerals and substances that are known to reduce blood pressure, spinach is another of the many foods that reduce blood pressure. A 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, propounds that the diastolic pressure of 17 adults after three days dropped by 3.7 mm/Hg after being given the nitrate equivalent of 5-8 oz. of spinach.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Foods With Quercetin
Apples and onions. Foods that contain quercetin, found usually in apples and onions, are found to significantly reduce blood pressure readings. A study at the University of Utah has discovered that ingestion of 730 mg of supplements of quercetin for twenty-eight days can reduce blood pressure.
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure – Other Foods
Celery. This succulent vegetable is also one of the foods that reduce blood pressure.
Plain rice and noodles. Plain rice and noodles can also reduce blood pressure.
Nuts and sweets. Nuts and sweets are also found to lower blood pressure.
Chicken and Fish. Chicken and fish are two of the most popular foods that can reduce blood pressure.