High blood pressure - six diet swaps to lower your hypertension risk
HIGH blood pressure risk could be lowered by making some diet or lifestyle changes. Prevent the signs and symptoms of hypertension by eating more of these six foods - are you at risk of the deadly condition?
High blood pressure: NHS doctor explains causes
High blood pressure affects more than a quarter of all adults in the UK.
The condition, which is also known as hypertension, puts extra stress on blood vessels and vital organs.
Making some diet or lifestyle changes could lower your chances of developing high blood pressure symptoms.
These are the best foods add to your weekly shopping list, to reduce your risk of hypertension.
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High blood pressure diet: Prevent hypertension symptoms with these food swaps
Pomegranate
Pomegranate, or even pomegranate juice, could slash your caches of having high blood pressure, scientists have claimed.
Drinking more than a cup of pomegranate juice every day for four weeks could lower both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, they said.
It’s not entirely clear what causes the drop in blood pressure, but it’s believed to be caused by its high potassium and polyphenol content.
Beetroot
Beetroot juice could have a positive effect at reducing blood pressure, according to the University of California, Berkeley.
“Beets naturally contain nitrates, which ease blood pressure,” it said.
Its comments came after a 2013 study revealed beetroot juice could reduce blood pressure just six hours after drinking.
The juice had a greater effect on men than women, the scientists claimed.
Pistachios
Just one or two servings of pistachios every day could lower blood pressure, studies have revealed.
The nuts may help to dilate blood vessels, and thus, lower hypertension risk.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate, or other cocoa products, may help to cut hypertension risk.
“Consuming dark chocolate or cocoa products rich in flavanols was linked with some reduction in systolic or diastolic blood pressure among people with hypertension,” said Berkeley.
“Other research has shown that polyphenols [especially flavanols] in cocoa products are associated with the formation of nitric oxide, a substance that widens blood vessels and eases blood flow.”
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Flaxseed
Prevent hypertension by adding more flaxseed to your diet, it’s been claimed.
Flaxseed comes from the flax plants, and can a as whole seeds, as a powder, or even as an oil.
“It's not clear what in flaxseed may be responsible for the blood pressure reduction, but it may be any or all of these four compounds: alpha linolenic acid, lignans, peptides and fibre,” said Berkeley.
Olive oil
Olive oil could lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, researchers claimed.
Women could benefit most by adding more olive oil to their diet, they revealed.
Look out for olive oil with polyphenols for the biggest antihypertensive effect, said Berkeley.
