High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Your diet is one of many factors that affect your blood pressure, and tomato sauce can be a beneficial component. Eat tomato sauce in moderation as part of a healthy diet, and continue to monitor your blood pressure and follow your doctor's advice.
DASH Diet
Tomato sauce counts toward your vegetable servings as part of a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet. The DASH diet may lower high blood pressure or help you maintain your blood pressure within a normal range, and a 2,000-calorie DASH diet includes four to five servings of vegetables per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A half-cup of tomato sauce counts as one serving.
Beneficial Nutrients
Tomatoes are naturally rich in potassium, and a cup of tomato sauce provides 909 mg potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral for regulating your blood pressure, and healthy adults should get at least 4,700 mg per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Tomato sauce has more than 3 g dietary fiber, or more than 12 percent of the daily value, and at least 50 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, and these nutrients may also benefit your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
Suggestions
For a healthy blood pressure, eat tomato sauce with other nutrient-dense foods. Whole grain pasta provides dietary fiber and magnesium, which is another mineral for regulating your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Adequate calcium intake is essential for your blood pressure, as well as strong bones, and low-fat cheese on your pasta and sauce can be a healthy source. Add vegetables to your tomato sauce to increase your intake of potassium, fiber and vitamin C.
Sodium and Fat
Tomato sauce can have more than 1,000 mg sodium per cup, so choose low-sodium, store-bought varieties, or make your own sauce without adding salt. A high-sodium diet can lead to high blood pressure or prevent you from lowering your blood pressure if it is already high, and healthy adults should have no more than 2,300 mg per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Make your own sauce with olive oil or choose a brand with monounsaturated fats, because these fats may lower your blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Vegetables and Vegetable Products
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Dietary Fiber; Jane Higdon; December 2005
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Vitamin C; Jane Higdon; January 2006
- Mayo Clinic; MUFAs: Why Should My Diet Include These Fats?; Katherine Zeratsky; November 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Magnesium; Jane Higdon; April 2003
