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The disease of the modern time, hypertension, or better known as high blood pressure, is becoming a problem for nearly third of the adult population. This is an unusual condition that has many possible causes like obesity, genetic factors, high sodium intake, lack of exercise or even stress.
It is referred to as the silent killer, because it produces no symptoms, but can cause issues like diabetes, stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, etc. Before you reach for medications which regulate blood pressure, you can try to keep it under control by choosing foods naturally low in sodium and high in power minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
1. Bananas
Bananas are fruit abundant in potassium, in fact one medium banana provides 12% of the potassium you need every day. That means that you should incorporate them into your everyday diet. You can eat them as a quick breakfast or snack, or you can slice one into your cereal or oatmeal. It is just an incredible and versatile fruit that can be used in many ways
2. Dark chocolate
Cocoa products have been linked to reductions in systolic or diastolic blood pressure among people with hypertension or pre-hypertension. Since dark chocolate contains more than 60% cocoa solids and has less sugar than regular chocolate, a little bit of it can go a long way when it comes to lowering your blood pressure. Up to 100 grams per day of dark chocolate may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. You can add it to yogurt or eat it with fruits, such as strawberries and blueberries.
3. Fish
Many studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids have a blood pressure-lowering effect, reduce inflammation, and lower triglycerides. Fish like mackerel and salmon are high in omega-3 fatty acids, and besides that, they are a great source of lean protein and vitamin D. We recommend eating fatty fish such as salmon three times a week. The best way to prepare it is in parchment paper seasoned with herbs, lemon, and olive oil.
4. Watermelon
The great thing about watermelon is that you can use everything even its seeds for lowering blood pressure. It contains an amino acid called L-citrulline, vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C and lycopene, all of which have blood pressure-lowering effects. On the other hand, watermelon seeds contain a compound called cucurbocitrin, which helps widen the blood capillaries, improve kidney functioning and helps with arthritis. You can put watermelon seeds in one cup of boiled water and leave it for an hour, after that you can take a few tablespoons of this water at regular intervals throughout the day.
5. Leafy greens
When we say leafy greens we think spinach, kale, beet greens, romaine lettuce, arugula, etc. Leafy greens are high in potassium which helps your kidneys get rid of more sodium through your urine. For instance, kale is packed with quercetin and beta-carotene, as well as vitamin C. We recommend fresh or frozen leafy greens because canned vegetables often have added sodium.
