Fruits and vegetables that lower blood pressure

Fruit and vegetables are great for helping to create a healthy diet. We all know this, but there are other factors to consider for helping decrease high blood pressure.

Risk factors you can control:

• High blood pressure
• Abnormal cholesterol
• Tobacco use
• Diabetes
• Overweight
• Physical inactivity

Risk factors beyond your control:

• Age (55 or older for men; 65 or older for women)
• Family history of early heart disease

Here are some fruits and vegetables that help lower blood pressure (but after reading this list please read the rest of the article because fruits and vegetables alone won’t solve blood pressure issues):

Vegetables:

• tomatoes
• potatoes
• carrots
• peas
• squash
• broccoli
• turnip greens
• collards
• kale
• spinach
• artichokes
• sweet potatoes
• beans

Fruits:

• apricots
• bananas
• dates
• oranges
• orange juice
• grapefruit juice
• mangoes
• melons
• peaches
• pineapples
• prunes
• raisins
• strawberries
• tangerines

What you eat affects your chances of getting high blood pressure. A healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower a blood pressure
that is already too high.

For an overall eating plan, consider DASH, which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” You can reduce your blood pressure by eating foods that are low in
saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, and has low
amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages. It is also high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, as well as protein and fiber. Eating foods lower in salt and
sodium also can reduce blood pressure.

Dash Chart

The attached chart gives the servings and food groups for the DASH eating plan. The number of servings that is right for you may vary, depending on your caloric need.
The DASH eating plan has more daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains than you may be used to eating. Those foods are high in fiber, and eating more of them may temporarily cause bloating and diarrhea. To get used to the DASH eating plan, gradually increase your servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

A good way to change to the DASH eating plan is to keep a diary of your current eating habits. Write down what you eat, how much, when, and why. Note whether you snack on high-fat foods while watching television or if you skip breakfast and eat a big lunch. Do this for several days. You’ll be able to see where you can start making changes. If you’re trying to lose weight, you should choose an eating plan that is lower in calories. You can still use the DASH eating plan, but follow it at a lower calorie level.
Again, a food diary can be helpful. It can tell you if there are certain times that you eat but aren’t really hungry or when you can substitute low-calorie foods for high-calorie foods.

The DASH eating plan was not designed to promote weight loss. But it is rich in low-calorie foods such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing high-calorie foods with more fruits and vegetables—and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH eating plan goals. Here are some examples:
To increase fruits:

• Eat a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You’ll save 80 calories.
• Eat 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You’ll save 230 calories.

To increase vegetables:

• Have a hamburger that’s 3 ounces instead of 6 ounces. Add a 1/2 cup serving of carrots and
• a 1/2 cup serving of spinach. You’ll save more than 200 calories.
• Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, have a stir fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 1 1/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You’ll save 50 calories.

To increase lowfat or fat free dairy products:

• Have a 1/2 cup serving of lowfat frozen yogurt instead of a 1 1/2-ounce milk chocolate bar. You’ll save about 110 calories.
• And don’t forget these calorie-saving tips:
• Use lowfat or fat free condiments, such as fat free salad dressings.
• Eat smaller portions—cut back gradually.
• Choose lowfat or fat free dairy products to reduce total fat intake.
• Use food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods. Items marked lowfat or fat free are not always lower in calories than their regular versions. See box 11 on how to read and
• food labels.
• Limit foods with lots of added sugar, such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream,
• sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.
• Eat fruits canned in their own juice.
• Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks.
• Drink water or club soda.

Thanks to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov for the information