Celery Seed For Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases your risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Your diet is an important factor in lowering your blood pressure if it is high, and celery seed can be a beneficial component. Sometimes dietary changes are not enough to get your blood pressure into a healthy range, and you may need medications.

A diet for hypertension includes a variety of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins, nut, oils, low-fat dairy products and herbs and spices, such as celery seed, instead of salt. Celery seed is a diuretic, and it may reduce the risk for arthritis, lower cholesterol or lower blood pressure, but these effects are not certain, according to the University of Maryland. Talk to your doctor before taking celery seed, because it can interact with diuretics and blood-thinning medications.

Sodium

A tablespoon of celery seed contains only 10 mg sodium, and a low-sodium diet may help lower your blood pressure. Individuals with hypertension should have no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Primary sources of dietary sodium are prepared foods, such as canned soups, fast food and salty sauces. You can lower your intake by choosing fresh foods instead of processed foods.

Calcium

Each tablespoon of celery seed provides 115 mg calcium, or 12 percent of the daily value. Calcium is an essential nutrient for regulating your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. More common sources are dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, tofu, soy milk and fortified orange juice. Adding celery seed to your food once or twice a day is an easy way to help you meet your requirements for calcium.

Suggestions

Dried celery seed is a flavorful spice and a low-sodium alternative to salt, which has 2,325 mg sodium per 1-tsp. serving. It works well as a flavoring in soups and stews, and you can also use it as a topping for vegetables to increase your potassium intake, because a high-potassium diet can lower your blood pressure, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A small amount of olive oil and some celery seed can be a healthy salad dressing.