High blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and stroke, and your dietary choices may be able to reduce blood pressure or prevent further increases. Foods from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet are good choices to support a healthy blood pressure. Sometimes dietary changes are not enough to lower your blood pressure, so talk to your doctor about making sure that you are doing everything possible to stay healthy.
Fruits and Vegetables
Most fruits and vegetables are good foods for high blood pressure because they are high in potassium and low in sodium. Avoid canned or frozen vegetables with added salt or high-sodium vegetable juices. On a 2,000-calorie DASH eating plan, have four to five servings of fruit and four to five servings of vegetables each day.
Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils are excellent sources of potassium. Potassium is essential for a healthy blood pressure, and most Americans should increase their potassium intake. Try lentils or any kind of beans, including navy, lima, garbanzo, black or great northern. Limit your sodium intake by preparing your own or by choosing low-sodium versions of canned beans or lentils. A 2,000-calorie DASH diet has four to five servings per week of legumes, nuts and seeds.
Whole Grains
Individuals who eat more whole grains may have a lower blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Minerals in whole grains that help control blood pressure include potassium and magnesium. Good choices include oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, bulgur and barley. Some bran or whole grain breakfast cereals are low in sodium, but some cereals and most breads are high in sodium, so limit your intake if you are on a low-sodium diet. A 2,000-calorie DASH diet includes six to eight servings of grains, with an emphasis on whole grains.
Dairy Products
Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, are good foods if you have high blood pressure, because they are high in calcium. Calcium supports a healthy blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products to keep your saturated fat intake low, and limit your cheese intake if you are on a low-sodium diet. A 2,000-calorie DASH diet includes two to three servings of reduced-fat dairy products per day. A serving is 1 cup of milk or yogurt, or 1.5 oz. of cheese, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
