Many factors influence blood pressure -- smoking, exercise, stress and medication -- so high blood pressure often is a preventable condition. Another significant factor is your diet. Many nutrients, such as sodium, can promote an increased risk of high blood pressure. If you're concerned about your blood pressure, carefully assess all of the foods you eat, such as seaweed, to help to reduce your risk.
Calories
Seaweed is low in calories, as a 100 g serving of the ocean vegetable contains just 43 calories. This amount is considerably lower than many other types of vegetables. Low-calorie foods can help you avoid high blood pressure, as eating them makes it easier to manage your weight, and obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure.
Sodium
Another nutrient that can have a significant affect on your blood pressure is sodium. As with many products of the sea, seaweed is rich in sodium; each 100 g serving contains 233 mg, or 10 percent of the daily recommended intake of 2,300 mg. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, or are 51 or older, the daily suggested limit is 1,500 mg. In this case, 100 g of seaweed provides about 16 percent of the limit.
Calcium
Seaweed is rich in calcium, a nutrient most often associated with strong bones and teeth. However, the nutrient has many other roles, including possibly reducing blood pressure. Research indicates that 1,000 mg of calcium each day may help to reduce blood pressure; 100 g of seaweed contains 168 mg of calcium.
Potassium
Potassium is an electrolyte, which means that it helps conduct electrical impulses, such as nerve transmissions. Potassium may also help to reduce your risk of blood pressure, but seaweed isn't particularly rich in the nutrient. A 100 g serving of seaweed provides 89 mg of potassium, which is about 4.5 percent of the daily recommended intake of 2,000 mg.
Sugar
As with sodium, sugar can significantly affect your pressure; an April 2011 study from the journal "Hypertension" found that consuming a diet high in added sugars promoted an increased risk of high blood pressure. A 100 g serving of seaweed contains less than 1 g of sugar, so it can be a suitable part of a low-sugar, hypertension prevention diet.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; What Is High Blood Pressure?; April 2011
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Seaweed, Kelp, Raw
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Avocados, Raw, All Commercial Varieties
- Mayo Clinic; Sodium: How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now; March 2011
- Bastyr Center for Natural Health; Calcium Reduces High Blood Pressure; 2006
- Colorado State University Extension; Diet and Hypertension; J. Anderson, L. Young and E. Long; August 2008
