High Blood pressure can be significantly lowered or reduced by changing dietary habits. From the research, it has been shown that some foods can help in lowering blood pressure for long term and also in the right way.
High blood pressure also known as hypertension affects a high percentage of adults in pakistan according to the National Health Survey pakistan.
High Blood pressure can be lowered and cured by dietary changes and other lifestyle changes such as walking regularly, exercise, low consumption of fast food and processed food and low consumption of salt and fatty food. The chances of heart diseases, stroke and kidney diseases increases due to high blood pressure.
So, in this article, we will be discussing some foods that will help in lowering high blood pressure and its effects.
Garlic:
Garlic is among the foods that have high natural antibiotic and antifungal properties. Allicin which is the main and active ingredient in garlic is associated with many health benefits.
It is also proven from the researches that nitric oxide in the garlic helps in smoothing the muscles and dilating the blood vessels which will eventually helps in lowering blood pressure, moreover, it is also suggested that both systolic and diastolic pressure in hypertensive people can be lowered from garlic.
Hypertensive people should use garlic instead of salt because garlic provides a savory flavor to foods such as soups, stir fries and omelets.
Leafy Green Vegetables:
The second food that helps in lowering blood pressure are leafy green vegetables because they are a rich source of nitrates. From a study, it is suggested that eating 1-2 servings of nitrate rich vegetables can reduce high blood pressure for upto 24 hours.
- Leafy green vegetables include:
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Saag/ Mustard green
- Kale
These vegetables can be eaten in the form of a proper meal by adding garlic into it to give an extra flavor and enhanced texture.
Oats:
Oats are basically a whole grain food. Oats contain a compound called beta-glucan which helps in lowering the cholesterol levels. And it also helps in lowering high blood pressure. Beta glucan is basically a fibre that is present in oats and it lowers the systolic and diastolic pressure. This fibrous compound is also present in barley.
You can eat oats by taking them in the breakfast, by adding milk and also they can be aten by adding chicken stew.
Beet Root:
High blood pressure can be lowered by drinking beetroot juice. As beets contain high percentages of nitrates it helps a lot in lowering the systolic and diastolic levels.
Beets can be eaten in salads and can also be taken in the form of juice. Drinking 1 cup of beetroot juice everyday can lead to normalizing the blood pressure.
Berries:
Berries contain anthocyanins which are antioxidants. Antioxidants are basically the substances that help in the protection of cells from the free radicals. Anthocyanins are present in high amounts in strawberries and blueberries. High intake of anthocyanin can lower the high blood pressure.
Berries can be eaten in many forms but the best form is to eat them raw.
