Beat High Blood Pressure with these Natural Superfoods
By Nmami Agarwal 18-May 2022 Reading Time: 4 Mins
Blood pressure is the pressure of your blood on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps it around your body. Your BP naturally goes up and down all the time, adjusting to your heart’s needs depending on what you are doing. High Blood Pressure is when your BP is persistently higher than normal. It is a chronic medical condition which affects your heart.
Are you worried about your High Blood Pressure? Here is some good news for you! You can easily control High BP by eating smarter and making healthier choices. Just focus on eating foods rich in Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Fibre, Vitamin C and Vitamin D.
Here are some superfoods that can help you beat High BP:
- Leafy greens
Leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and spinach are rich in antioxidants, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Potassium helps your kidneys get rid of sodium through urine. This helps in lowering your blood pressure. You can add kale and lettuce to a plate of salad and have Spinach soup for dinner to help with BP. - Berries
Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and anthocyanins that gives berries their bright colour. Anthocyanins can increase the nitric oxide levels in the blood which may help reduce blood pressure levels. You can add a serving of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries to your cereal, yoghurt or smoothies in the morning or can keep them frozen for a quick and healthy dessert. - Bananas
Bananas are a rich source of potassium which helps in regulating high blood pressure. You can add a medium sized banana to your smoothies, fruit platter or can eat it whole as a snack on the go. - Beetroot
Beetroot are rich in nitric oxide which can help open your blood vessels and lower blood pressure. You can consume beetroot as a beet juice or add some beet to your salad, or cook beets as a side dish. You can also bake slices of beetroot and eat it as a snack. - Oatmeal
Oats contain a type of fibre called beta-glucan, which can help reduce blood cholesterol level and can also lower blood pressure. Oatmeal is a high fibre, low fat, low sodium meal. Steel cut oats or Rolled oats can be consumed for breakfast, you can add some berries to enhance the taste. - Garlic
Garlic is a natural antibiotic and antifungal food. Garlic also helps increase the production of nitric oxide in the body. It can help muscles to relax and dilate the blood vessels. You can add garlic to your soups, stir fries, omelete to enhance the flavour and cut back on salt.
Over To You:
Small changes count, several small changes can lead to big results. Along with adding the above superfoods to your diet, you can make some modifications in your lifestyle to significantly lower blood pressure.