10 Delicious Ways to Lower High Blood Pressure

10 Delicious Ways to Lower High Blood Pressure

The DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been shown to prevent and reduce high blood pressure. It's rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products; moderate in total fat; and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It's even more effective if you also reduce your salt and sodium intake. If losing weight is a concern in addition to lowering your blood pressure, you can benefit from DASH — especially if you stick to low-fat foods.
Be spicy instead of salty. In cooking and at the table, flavor foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, or salt-free seasoning blends.
Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types.
Eat moderate portions, and when snacking, eat fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks.
Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings that are high in sodium.
Start your day with breakfast cereals that are lower in salt and sodium.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt; cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned with "no-salt-added" vegetables.
Drink water or club soda instead of soft drinks high in sugar.
When eating out, move the saltshaker away — limit condiments, such as catsup, pickles, and sauces with high salt-containing ingredients.
Cut back on processed and fast foods that are high in salt and sodium.

Source: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NHLBI does not recommend or endorse any company advertised on this site.