High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a disease that can lead to serious medical conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney problems. One of the most frightening aspects of hypertension is that there are typically few, if any, warning signs. Consuming a healthy diet low in sodium and high in potassium-rich foods such as almonds can help naturally lower blood pressure.
Benefits
Almonds contain a number of nutrients such as fiber, riboflavin, magnesium, iron, calcium, healthy monounsaturated fat and potassium. The American Heart Association notes that potassium can reduce the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure. Healthy fat also promotes cardiovascular health, which makes almonds important to your diet if you're watching your blood pressure. As an added bonus, the fiber in almonds helps you feel full longer so you may consume fewer calories overall.
Recommendations
The recommended daily intake for potassium is 4,700 mg per day. In addition to almonds, other good dietary sources of potassium include potatoes, green vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, cantaloupe and dairy products. For optimal cardiovascular health, try to consume twice as much potassium as sodium; so if you reach the recommended 4,700 mg of potassium in a day, you should only have 2,350 mg of sodium. People with cardiovascular conditions may be advised to consume even less sodium. To help cut back on sodium, choose unsalted almonds and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Canned and some frozen vegetables contain added salt. When preparing vegetables, season them with fresh herbs instead of salt or other additives that contain sodium.
Considerations
Since hypertension typically has no symptoms, the American Heart Association recommends that adults 20 years of age and older have their blood pressure checked at regular health care visits or at least once every two years. Many local pharmacies will check your blood pressure at no cost. African Americans, the elderly, people with a family history of high blood pressure, people who don't exercise and people who consume a poor diet high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol are at the greatest risk for developing high blood pressure. In addition to dietary changes, exercising regularly, reducing stress and limiting alcohol consumption can also help manage high blood pressure.
Warnings
Be cautious when increasing your potassium consumption. Too much potassium can be problematic, especially in older adults and people with kidney problems. It is fairly easy to consume enough potassium to reach the recommended daily amount through dietary sources such as almonds. However, if you decide to take potassium supplements, only do so under a doctor's supervision to avoid any complications.
