If you are looking for a healthy food to add to your diet, wheat germ may be worth trying. As part of a balanced diet, wheat germ may lower your blood pressure or prevent it from further increases. Even with a healthy diet, you may still need prescription drugs to achieve a healthy blood pressure level, so it is important to communicate with your doctor in order to prevent complications.
You are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease if your blood pressure is high. Some steps that you can take to lower your blood pressure are to avoid smoking, reduce the stress in your life, exercise with your doctor's approval and maintain or achieve a healthy weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. Along with being a good source of iron and selenium, wheat germ supplies essential nutrients for lowering your blood pressure.
Potassium
Wheat germ has 250 mg potassium per ounce. You may be able to lower your blood pressure by increasing your potassium intake, and the recommendation for healthy adults is to get at least 4,700 mg potassium per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fruits, vegetables, beans, dairy products and fish are also high in potassium, and wheat germ makes a nutrient-dense addition to recipes.
Magnesium and Fiber
Wheat germ provides 67 mg magnesium, or 17 percent of the recommended daily value. Magnesium is essential for proper muscle contraction and nutrient metabolism, and it may regulate your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Dietary fiber may also be necessary for a healthy blood pressure, as each ounce of wheat germ contains 3.7 mg, or 15 percent of the recommended daily value. Dietary fiber may reduce your risk for heart disease by lowering levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Sodium
Wheat germ can help lower your blood pressure if it helps you reduce your total sodium intake. A high-sodium diet can cause high blood pressure, 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. Wheat germ has only 3 mg sodium per ounce, and it is a low-sodium alternative to ready-to-eat cold cereals, which are among the top sources of sodium in the typical American diet.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Cereal Grains and Pasta
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Whole Grains: Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet; July 2011
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Magnesium; Victoria Drake; August 2007
