Hypertension is a serious problem for Americans across the country, and learning to keep high blood pressure managed is something that can be accomplished by dietary changes. Altering the way you eat to include numerous colorful vegetables in your daily diet will help control hypertension, protect blood vessels and lower your blood pressure.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Spinach contains vitamin C and vitamin A, both of which prevent cholesterol from becoming oxidized and help keep arteries plaque-free according to nutritionist Liz Applegate in her Heart-Smart food guide.
Swiss chard is great source of vitamin E, the antioxident which helps prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol. Adding swiss chard to your diet with its high vitamin E content has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis, again from sixwise.com.
Garlic and Onions
Garlic helps your heart and arteries in numerous ways, by lowering cholesterol levels and preventing blood clots, according to Dr. Liz Applegate. It helps the lining of the blood vessels to relax. Garlic reduces nanoplaque, early building blocks of plaque, reports German scientist Professor Güautnter Siegel, M.D., from the University of Medicine in Berlin.
Onions contain a flavonoid called quercitin, says Applegate, which has been shown to prevent LDL cholesterol from damaging artery walls. Flavonoids are plant pigments with anti-oxidant properties.
Starchy Vegetables
Corn bran, found in the skins of corn kernels, lowers cholesterol levels says Liz Applegate. Corn is a good source of folic acid and helps protect your arteries, making it a healthful and delicious choice to add to your diet.
Beans, also known as legumes, are considered wonder foods says Applegate in her Heart-Smart food guide. Eating 1 1/2 cups of beans every day provides enough soluble fiber to lower cholesterol levels. Legumes are also an excellent source of folic acid helping to prevent buildup of an artery clogging substance that contributes to high blood pressure.
Soy beans also known as edemame, have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and cut heart-disease risk according to Applegate.
Fruity Vegetables
Tomatoes are actually classified as a fruit. Rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that may make LDL cholesterol less likely to oxidize, tomatoes contribute to the prevention of plaque formation and heart disease.
Avocados, also a fruit, are very high in healthy, heart-smart, monounsaturated fats. A diet rich in avocados may help lower levels of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol, says Liz Applegate.
