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High Blood Pressure: Nutrition Tips

DASH diet

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can help you lower your blood pressure. It includes eating fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or non-fat dairy foods. For more information on the DASH diet, see:

High Blood Pressure: Using the DASH Diet.

DASH Diet Sample Menu.

The food groups and serving sizes in the table below are based on the DASH diet from the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. These servings may not match Canada’s Food Guide.

Follow these daily recommendations:

Cut down on fats

Eating a diet low in both saturated fat and total fat will help lower your blood pressure.

Although you need some fat in your diet, limit how much saturated fat you eat. These fats are mostly in animal foods, such as meat and dairy foods. Coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter are also saturated fats. Palm and coconut oils are often found in processed foods, including crackers and snack foods.

Follow the recommendations below to include healthy fats in your diet. DASH recommends that a little less than a third of your total calories come from fats. And most of these calories should come from healthy fats such as vegetable oils, nuts, and fish. Very few calories should come from saturated fat, which is found in animal meat, dairy products, and processed foods.

Cut back on sodium

There is a link between eating sodium and having high blood pressure. Reducing sodium in the diet can prevent high blood pressure in those at risk for the disease and can help control high blood pressure. Limiting sodium is part of a heart-healthy eating plan that can help prevent heart disease and stroke.

Most people shouldn’t eat more than 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day.

Sodium and High Blood Pressure

Healthy Eating: Eating Less Sodium

Low-Salt Diets: Eating Out

Eat fewer processed foods

Cutting back on the amount of processed or refined foods you eat can help. These foods, such as canned and instant soups, packaged mixes, and snack items, don’t have enough calcium, potassium, and magnesium—the very nutrients you need to help lower your blood pressure. And these foods can be high in sodium, saturated fats, and trans fats.

Vegetarian diet

You also may try a vegetarian diet. In general, vegetarian diets reduce blood pressure, although experts don’t know exactly why. The DASH diet could easily be a vegetarian diet if legumes (for example, beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts) were substituted for meat. Vegetarian diets tend to be higher in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, as does the DASH diet. Vegetarian diets also are higher in fibre and unsaturated fats than other diets.

Potassium, calcium, and magnesium

Not eating enough foods containing potassium, calcium, and magnesium may contribute to high blood pressure.

To get enough of these nutrients, eat a balanced diet that contains plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, and whole grains. Most people do not need to take dietary supplements to get enough potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Good sources of potassium

All fresh fruits and vegetables and meats are good sources of potassium. Examples include the following:

Bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, and orange juice

Raw or cooked spinach, lima beans, zucchini, broccoli, and artichokes

Potatoes

Legumes (cooked dried beans and peas) such as pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and lentils

Nuts and seeds

Good sources of calcium

Low-fat dairy products (yogurt, skim milk, cheese)

Good sources of magnesium

Legumes (cooked dried beans and peas), seeds, and nuts

Halibut

Milk and yogurt

Brown rice and potatoes

Tomatoes

Bananas and watermelon

Leafy green vegetables

Dietary supplements

The safest way to ensure good nutrition is through a balanced, varied diet instead of through nutritional supplements.

Very large amounts of any of these minerals taken in the form of a supplement can cause problems, including possible death. See your doctor before taking large quantities of any supplement.

What does not lower blood pressure?

Garlic and onions

Although eating garlic and onions has been recommended to reduce blood pressure, evidence shows that only very small decreases in blood pressure may result.Health ToolsHealth Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information, call Health Link at 811.

If you need an interpreter just say the language you need.

Current as of: December 6, 2017

Source: www. myhealth.alberta.ca

Translated with permission from Healthwise Inc.©. This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of care you get from your provider or other healthcare professional. Always consult your health professional for medical diagnosis and treatment.

High Blood Pressure: Nutrition Tips

Follow these daily recommendations:

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