Although there’s no “magic recipe” when it comes to lowering blood pressure quickly, a well-balanced diet can help keep it at a healthy level. Read on to discover nutrient-rich foods (with recipe inspiration for each!) to assist in lowering levels naturally.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in fibre and a great source of the anti-inflammatory essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic. Studies have found that consuming flaxseeds on a regular basis may also help reduce blood pressure. You can add flaxseeds to your favourite smoothies, sprinkle over yogurt and fruit, or even add to a salad.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Adding extra virgin olive oil to your favourite dishes can benefit both the young and old. Studies have found that extra virgin olive oil helps reduce systolic blood pressure (the maximum amount of blood pressure when your heart is beating).
For a delicious weeknight dinner, try this Olive-Oil Poached Tuna or whip up this Tasty Healthy Salad Dressing
Low Sodium
The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension, recommends reducing your sodium intake to help reduce blood pressure. Restricting salt intake to 1500 mg per day (which is about ⅔ of a teaspoon) has shown to be the greatest way decrease blood pressure.
Check out these 10 Tasty Low-Sodium Recipes for Healthy Living
Vegetarian
Numerous studies have found that a vegetarian or vegan diet is associated with lower blood pressure compared to diets that contain meat. So, focus on introducing a wide array of vegetables to your diet, even if you do consume animal products for protein.
Here are the 5 Best Meatless BBQ Skewers You’ll Ever Make
Walnuts
Adding walnuts to your diet can help lower blood pressure, according to this study. Researchers looking at the health benefits of nuts have found that including them in a Mediterranean-style diet is linked with lower blood pressure.
Soy
The isoflavones that naturally occur in soy have been studied for their role in helping to lower blood pressure. You can find soy in tofu, tempeh, edamame and, of course, in soy milk and soy milk-based products such as yogurt.
Berries
Flavonoids are compounds found in fresh fruit and vegetables. Berries — in particular blueberries and strawberries — may contribute to lower risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) according to this study.
Get the recipes for these 16 Immune-Boosting Smoothies
Garlic
We not only love garlic because of how it enhances the flavour of so many different types of recipes, but also because eating garlic can help lower blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic.
Fatty Fish
Eating oily fish, such as salmon, at least three times a week can help keep blood pressure down. You can also incorporate more fish oil into your diet to get the full benefits of fatty fish.