Everyone knows about the dangers of salt for hypertensive patients. But few people realize that there are many products that, on the contrary, reduce blood pressure. Scientists count 15 groups of such products – according to the number of useful substances that prevent the development of hypertension.
They were identified in 2020 during research by scientists at King’s College London. Dietitian Emily Leeming was involved and today she spoke to the Daily Mail about the staples. Since hypertension is extremely widespread throughout the world, including Russia, this information will be extremely useful to our readers.
Moreover, at the beginning of the disease, when the pressure is not yet off the charts, they can cope with it even without the help of medications. True, it is still good to lead an active lifestyle and lose extra pounds. But even then, when a person is already being treated with antihypertensive drugs, proper nutrition helps reduce their dose.
Foods rich in potassium
Not everyone knows that it is not salt itself that is harmful to hypertensive patients, but the sodium it contains (chemically, salt is sodium chloride). So, potassium is an antagonist of sodium, it helps remove it from the body and additionally relaxes blood vessels.
A 2013 study in the BMJ found that consuming foods high in potassium for 4 weeks could reduce systolic (upper) blood pressure by 3.5 mmHg. Art., and diastolic (lower) – by almost 2 mm Hg. Art. These are very significant changes, reducing the risk of stroke by 24 percent.
Everyone knows that bananas contain a lot of potassium. But in principle, almost all fruits and vegetables are rich in it. And nutritionists suggest the following technique to ensure you get enough potassium from your diet: always have half your plate filled with vegetables, herbs or fruits.
Beans, hummus and constipation
Beans and any legumes are also rich in potassium, but they also contain a lot of coarse fiber, which regulates stool. The last circumstance is very important for hypertensive patients. Last year, a study published in the journal Nature Hypertension Research showed a link between constipation and spikes in blood pressure. It’s clear why this happens. With difficulties with bowel movements, people are forced to push hard, and this contributes to increased blood pressure. Additionally, because of this, the blood supply to the heart may deteriorate.
Plus, in 2022, Nutrients magazine published a large study that found that people who ate about a quarter of a can of any legumes (beans, chickpeas, etc.) a day were 43 percent less likely to develop hypertension.
Emily Leeming notes that all legumes help lower levels of bad cholesterol and other harmful fats in the blood, keeping blood vessels more flexible. She recommends eating hummus, which is made from chickpeas, more often. We should also take this advice into account: this healthy oriental dish is not very common in our country.
Beta-glucan – choose the right porridge
The best grain product for hypertensive patients is any dish made from oats. And first of all, this is oatmeal.
Oats contain a special fiber – beta-glucan. It helps remove “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and thereby protect blood vessels, keeping them elastic.
Beta-glucans also feed our “good” intestinal bacteria, which synthesize so-called short-chain fatty acids. They effectively protect blood vessels from damage.
A 2023 scientific review of beta-glucans published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that consuming 5 grams of beta-glucans daily could reduce high blood pressure by nearly 3 mm. Hg Art.
In principle, all oatmeal porridges are healthy. But the amount of beta-glucans they contain is not the same: depending on the processing method, 100 g of cereal can contain from 1.8 g to 7 g. Most of them are in those cereals that have undergone minimal processing, that is, the more intact the oat grain, the more beta-glucan it contains. Oat bran is also very useful, they are champions, since most of these substances are contained in the outer shell of oat grains. (salt)
Look for nitrates in beets and greens, they are friends, not enemies.
There are many serious studies showing that a daily glass of beet juice is effective in reducing blood pressure. This is because beets are a champion in nitrates – the same ones that scare us in watermelons and vegetables. In fact, they are more useful than dangerous, and perfectly reduce blood pressure – systolic by an average of 8 mm Hg. Art., and diastolic – by 4 mm Hg. Art. This is comparable to the effect of antihypertensive drugs.
Other great sources of nitrates are celery, salads (lettuce, spinach, arugula, chard, bok choy), greens (dill, parsley, etc.).
Pistachios and other nuts
Nuts help lower blood pressure because they contain heart-healthy fats. They relax blood vessels.
For example, in 2015, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study of pistachios in hypertensive patients; they effectively lowered blood pressure. A daily handful of these nuts, taken for four weeks, reduced blood pressure by almost 2 mmHg. Art., which led to a 4% reduction in the risk of stroke or heart attack.
Dr. Leeming advises choosing unsalted pistachios and eating them in the morning with yoghurt, fruit, or adding them to salads in the afternoon, aiming for a handful of nuts in a day. The idea is great, but it is extremely difficult to buy pistachios without salt here. There is a way out; consume other nuts, especially walnuts. They are also high in healthy fats.
Eat the fish and save the vessels
Fatty sea fish is very useful for hypertension patients. But not only salmon, trout or salmon. Omega-3 is abundant in herring, mackerel, sardines and mussels. These fatty acids relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure salt.
A scientific review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2022 found that the optimal dose of omega-3 is 2-3 grams per day. This reduces upper and lower blood pressure by almost 2 mm Hg. Art. Doctor and nutritionist Emily Leeming says this is the amount of omega-3 found in a standard serving of oily fish.
