10 Foods to Avoid for Preventing High Blood Pressure: -
Crackers, chips and frozen foods contain high concentrations of salt and saturated fats that contribute to high blood pressure. As an alternative, choose healthier snack options like fruits, low-fat dairy and leafy green vegetables as more healthy snack choices. Salt can hide in unexpected places - including soy sauce, ketchup, mustard and salad dressing. Instead of resorting to processed condiments for seasoning your meals with sodium chloride-laden flavoring agents like sodium chloride, why not turn to herbs and spices as seasoning agents instead?
1. Fried Foods
Fried foods typically contain unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats that increase LDL cholesterol levels, leading to blocked arteries. This strain on the heart increases and leads to an increase in blood pressure.
Junk food tends to be high in sodium content as salt is often used as a preservative, such as deli meats, fast food, canned and frozen foods, packaged snacks as well as condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce or salad dressing that contain excessive levels of salt.
2. Processed Meat
Diets high in sodium cause your body to retain water and thus raise your blood pressure, but plant-based alternatives like tofu provide a healthier solution without animal cruelty or salt being involved in the equation.Processed meats such as bacon, ham and deli sandwiches contain unhealthy saturated fats, high levels of salt and chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites; whenever possible opt for grass-fed or organic options instead.
3. Caffeine
Caffeine, found in coffee, tea and certain energy drinks, can increase both your heart rate and cause your blood vessels to constrict resulting in high blood pressure levels.
According to many doctors, caffeine may increase your blood pressure sufficiently to impede an accurate reading.However, moderate coffee consumption should not negatively impact your health outcomes if you have high blood pressure. Regular exercise and a healthy diet remain the best ways to bring down blood pressure levels.
4. Red Meat
Red meat can be an essential part of a balanced diet, providing protein, iron, vitamin B12, and zinc - but only in moderation and without excessive processed meat consumption.
Diet can play an integral part in managing high blood pressure. Eating unprocessed meats and lean cuts of meat are generally best, though diversifying your protein sources is also beneficial.
Select low-fat meats such as pork loin and beef round. Avoid high sodium content options like deli slices, bacon and hot dogs which contain significant levels of salt.
5. Dairy Products
Dairy products can help maintain bone health, but too much may increase blood pressure. Opting for fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt to limit saturated and trans fat intake.
Dairy foods also provide calcium, which is vital for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. Choose calcium-rich dairy milk and yogurt products as well as plant-based "milks" made with almonds, coconut, oat or hemp that contain calcium for maximum bone support.
Select a variety of dairy foods, from fresh yogurt with active probiotics and fermented options like kefir or viili to fresh dairy cheeses and cottage cheese.
6. Vegetables
Vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals that help keep blood pressure stable and low. Try eating leafy green vegetables such as Swiss chard, kale and spinach which contain potassium and magnesium; additionally consume more broccoli or other cruciferous veggies that contain nitrates to lower your risk of high blood pressure.
Add whole grain crackers and popcorn with reduced sodium to your diet, along with unsalted pistachios which contain potassium-rich nuts that help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
7. Salt
Salt is an essential nutrient for human bodies, yet too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure. Therefore, it's essential that food labels provide us with accurate information regarding products with lower sodium content and select foods accordingly.
Processed deli meats and lunch meats contain high levels of sodium in order to preserve them, so should be consumed sparingly or only occasionally. Tomato products like sauce and tomato juice also contain significant levels of salt which should be limited.There are low salt seasonings available which provide the same salty taste with reduced sodium intake.
8. Alcohol
Even small amounts of alcohol can increase blood pressure if consumed regularly. Women are limited to one drink daily and two for men - that equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of spirits respectively.
9. Sugar
Salt causes your body to retain fluid, leading to elevated blood pressure. Therefore, opting for lower sodium foods such as yogurt, berries and bananas as snacks is one way of helping lower it. You should also read labels carefully as added sugar intake may exceed recommended limits; and use olive oil over butter or vegetable oils due to its polyphenols which support blood vessel health.
10. Broccoli
Broccoflower (a cross between broccoli and kale) or its variant, broccolini (a cross between broccoli and kale), contains vital nutrients that promote heart health and support digestion, as well as the cancer-prevention antioxidant sulforaphane.
Conclusion: -
High blood pressure places undue stress on artery walls. But making healthy lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking and eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts can help lower it.
