High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a dangerous chronic condition because it increases your risk for heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. As part of your treatment plan, along with following your doctor's medical advice, you may be able to lower your blood pressure by improving your diet. Smooth and chunky peanut butter have the same nutritional information, and it can be part of a healthy meal plan for lowering blood pressure.
Minerals for Blood Pressure
Peanut butter provides essential minerals for controlling your blood pressure. A diet which is high in potassium supports a healthy blood pressure, and a 2-tbsp. serving of peanut butter has more than 200 mg potassium. Magnesium is another mineral in peanut butter which can lower your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Fortified peanut butter may provide calcium, which not only supports bone health, but also regulates blood pressure. Choose a version with no added salt to keep your sodium intake low.
Healthy Fats
Peanut butter can help lower your blood pressure because a 2-tbsp. serving has 16 g total fat, 7.6 g monounsaturated fats, 4.4. g polyunsaturated fats and only 3 g saturated fat. A diet which is high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, instead of saturated fat, may lower your blood pressure, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Peanut butter which is enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha-linolenic acid, may be even better for your blood pressure.
Weight Control
Peanut butter can help you lower your blood pressure if you use it to lose weight if you are overweight, or maintain your current weight if you are already at a healthy weight. Obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure, and people who regularly eat nuts or peanut foods, such as peanut butter, tend to have better weight control, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Since peanut butter is high in calories, with 188 per 2-tbsp. serving, eat in moderation, and reduce your calories from other sources when you add it to your diet.
Other Information
No single food, on its own, can lower your blood pressure, and peanut butter should only be a component of a nutritious eating plan. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet may lower your blood pressure, and it emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, healthy fats and a limited amount of meat, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The DASH diet recommends four to five servings of nuts, seeds or legumes, such as peanut butter, each week.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Legumes and Legume Products
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, in with the Good
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Nuts; Jane Higdon; December 2005
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Magnesium; Jane Higdon; April 2003
