7 Superfoods To Lower Blood Pressure

By Robin Westen

Has your doctor told you your blood pressure is within the normal range but on the high side and suggests you might consider taking medication to bring it down just to be safe side? Well, before you opt for prescription medication you might want to put more of these foods in your diet and retest a month later:

Spices

Especially effective spices are fennel, oregano, black pepper, basil, and tarragon. One study found that saffron may also lower blood pressure. Bonus: By adding spices to your dishes, you might be able to forgo salt, which is known to trigger a rise in blood pressure.

Potatoes They’re not only rich in potassium, they contain a blood-pressure lowering compound called kukoamines, a substance also found in Chinese herbal medicine. Are you worried that potatoes might bulk you up? Consider tomatoes instead. They also contain kukoamines but in lower concentration.

Celery According to "The New York Times," a compound in celery relaxes the smooth muscle lining of blood vessels, reducing blood pressure. The equivalent of four ribs of celery a day was shown to lower blood pressure by 12 to 14 percent in animal studies.

Fish Choose cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and halibut, because they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid); both help to reduce blood pressure. What if you can’t stomach fish? Try omega-3 enriched eggs or peanut butter. You may also want to speak with your health care provider about taking fish oil capsules.

Walnuts They’re also packed with omega-3 fatty acid. Cooking with flaxseed, walnut, soybean, and canola oils are good choices as well.

Garlic According to a review of studies, garlic supplements may be as effective in relieving hypertension as some commonly used blood pressure medications. Fresh garlic and garlic powder are both effective.

Spinach Folate-rich foods, such as spinach, are associated with a lower risk of hypertension. A study published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” found women who consumed at least 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of foliate a day through either diet or supplements had a decreased risk of hypertension compared with those who consumed 200 mcg a day. Other good sources of foliate include other dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and asparagus.

About The Author

Robin Westen is ThirdAge's medical reporter. Check for her daily updates. Her latest book, co-authored with Dr. Alyssa Dweck, is "V Is For Vagina."