Consume these foods to manage your blood pressure

"You may control high blood pressure with a healthy diet that includes consuming lots of fruits and vegetables," Geeta Buryok, a nutritionist, said

3 min readNew DelhiNov 11, 2022 09:10 AM IST

Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Blood pressure is the force at which the heart pumps blood to various body parts. It is crucial to ensure there are no fluctuations in blood pressure as any change could lead to various health issues. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or lower; the blood pressure is elevated when the top number ranges from 120 to 129 mm Hg and the bottom number is below, not above, 80 mm Hg; and blood pressure higher than 180/120 mm Hg is considered a hypertensive emergency or crisis.

“High blood pressure is a common condition that affects the body’s arteries. It’s also called hypertension. If you have high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. The heart, then, has to work harder to pump blood,” Bhakti Kapoor, a nutritionist, wrote on Instagram.

She explained that untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious health problems. “Healthy lifestyle habits — such as not smoking, exercising, and eating well — can help prevent and treat high blood pressure. Some people need medicine to treat high blood pressure,” she added.

The expert suggested five foods that you can add to your diet to manage high blood pressure saying, “A healthy diet is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure as well as lowering your blood pressure values.”

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*Citrus foods: They are rich in vitamin C, which helps in lowering your blood pressure.

*Salmon and other fatty fish: They have high Omega-3 content which helps lower blood pressure.

*Berries: They contain anthocyanins that help increase the nitric oxide content in the blood and, in turn, lower hypertension.

*Celery: It helps lower your blood pressure. Agreeing, Pooja Panwar, Clinical Nutritionist, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh said, “High blood pressure can be lowered by consuming as few as four celery stalks per day. It has phytochemicals called phthalides that relax the muscle tissue lining the arteries, allowing for improved blood flow and, as a result, a reduction in blood pressure.”

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*Pumpkin seeds and oil: Pumpkin seeds and oil, too, help manage the blood pressure levels.

Geeta Buryok, Head, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh added that you may control high blood pressure with a healthy diet that includes consuming lots of fruits and vegetables. “Bananas, apples, pears, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, apricots, grapes, avocado, tomatoes, citrus fruit, and berries are among the best fruits for decreasing blood pressure,” she said.

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