Hypertension: Foods To Eat And Avoid
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, happens when blood has difficulty circulating in the blood vessels, causing the heart to beat harder, which can lead to complications such as arrhythmia, stroke, and kidney failure.
Foods that should be prioritized
According to healthline , the foods that must be prioritized in the diet for hypertension are those rich in fiber, minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, healthy fats, and antioxidants, such as:
Low-fat and sugar-free dairy products, such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, skimmed yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Fresh fruits, preferably natural, like grapes, tangerines, avocados, strawberries, acerola, watermelon, bananas, oranges, and pears.
Whole-grain cereals, such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain bread, and oatmeal.
Vegetables, such as pumpkin, cucumber, tomato, onion, garlic, pepper, and yam.
Vegetables such as broccoli, watercress, lettuce, and cabbage.
Legumes, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, and lupins.
Low-fat proteins, such as tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, and eggs.
In addition, some foods such as olive oil, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and Brazil nuts contain high amounts of healthy fats with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that improve blood circulation, helping to lower high blood pressure.
Some teas, such as ginger, green tea, hibiscus, and valerian, have diuretic, antioxidant, and relaxing properties, and can also be used to help control hypertension.
Foods that should be avoided
The foods that must be avoided in the diet for hypertension are the ones rich in saturated fat, such as whole dairy products and fatty meats, and foods rich in sugar and salt, such as:
Embedded foods, such as ham, sausages, , salami, and bacon.
Canned and tinned foods like tuna, corn, olives, peas, pickles, and sardines.
Ready-made sauces and seasonings, such as ketchup, soy sauce, English sauce, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and mustard.
Foods rich in fat, such as pizza, hamburgers, packaged biscuits, and fried food in general.
Meats with high fat content, such as rump steak, shoulder steak, sirloin, pork steak, and ribs.
Alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and sparkling wine.
Foods rich in sugar, such as soft drinks, boxed juices, chocolate, cake, ice cream, and jam.
Salty meats, such as beef jerky, sun-dried meat, charque, and codfish.
Besides, it is important to avoid dairy products with high fat content, such as parmesan cheese, prato cheese, cheddar and Swiss cheese, besides whole yogurt and whole milk, because these foods favour weight gain and the accumulation of fat plaques in the arteries, hindering blood circulation and causing an increase in blood pressure.
In the diet to fight hypertension, it is recommended to avoid adding salt when preparing food, and it is recommended to replace this ingredient with herbs and spices, such as garlic, onion, parsley, curry, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, and basil.