Of course, high blood pressure is bad for your health, particularly for your heart and your cardiovascular system in general. Hypertension, among other things, can lead to serious events like heart attacks, strokes, and more.
If you have been told that you have high blood pressure, or you are worried about it in general, that there are certain foods that you should avoid.
In today’s world of processed food, packaged food, and super unhealthy fast food, it’s easy to consume foods that will negatively impact your blood pressure.
This article discusses the types of foods or specific substances that will elevate your blood pressure, foods to stay away from, and foods that are fine to eat if you have high blood pressure and are looking to keep it under control.
Substances that Cause High Blood Pressure
Before we talk about food types and specific food items to avoid if you are concerned about high blood pressure, let’s look at the substances in food responsible for elevating blood pressure. There are three main substances that you need to be concerned about.
Sodium
The No. 1 cause of elevated blood pressure due to diet is sodium. Sodium causes high blood pressure because your body will hold excess water and send extra fluid through your veins to wash out that salt. If there is more fluid flowing in your veins and arteries, it puts more pressure on them
Fat
Excessive amounts of fat can also cause elevated blood pressure. This is quite scientific, but in essence, the consumption of fat leads the body to produce more angiotensin II, and it also results in increased leptin levels, both of which in their own ways are shown to be responsible for raising blood pressure.
Cholesterol
When you eat foods that are high in bad cholesterol, plaque builds up in your arteries. In essence, cholesterol blocks your arteries, thus causing blood to flow through a smaller area, with the result being that more pressure is put on artery and vein walls.
Foods High in Sodium, Fat, and Cholesterol
Now that we’ve identified the substances are that contribute to high blood pressure, let’s discuss the specific goods you need to stay away from if you want to maintain healthy blood pressure.
Foods High in Sodium
- Smoked meats
- Deli meats
- Canned meats
- Cured meats
- Frozen and breaded meats
- Anything that comes in a can – pasta, meats, etc.
- Salted nuts
- Canned beans
- Buttermilk
- Processed cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Salted breads and rolls
- Quick breads
- Pizza
- Packaged mixes for mashed potatoes, rice, and pasta
- Canned veggies
- Olives
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Frozen vegetable mixes
- Commercially prepared pasta sauces
- Dehydrated soup
- Broth and bouillon
- Cup noodles
- Soy sauce
- Seasoning salts
- Salted butter
- Instant puddings and cakes
- Ketchup
- Mustard
Foods High in Fat
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Nut butters
- Olives and olive oil
- Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and canned fish
- Chocolate
- Chips
- French fries
- Anything deep-fried
- Tofu
- Edamame
- Various seeds
- Eggs
- Milk
- Whipping cream
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Dairy in general
- Coconut
Foods High in Cholesterol
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Shellfish
- Red meat
- Many fatty fish
- Full fat yogurt
- Anything fried
- Processed foods
- Desserts
Salt vs. Sodium
You should understand the difference between salt and sodium. Generally speaking, sodium is already found in food, whereas salt is what we add to food as a seasoning. It is important to note that only 40% of the salt we eat is sodium. This means that if you add a gram of salt to your food, it’s actually only 0.4 grams of sodium.
How to Cut Down on Sodium for a Healthy Blood Pressure
Although fat and cholesterol are essential substances in this sense, sodium is by far the worst of all. Let’s go over some tips on how you can reduce your sodium intake and benefit your blood pressure.
- Try to avoid using too much salt in your food
- Always read nutrition labels
- Go for foods marked as low sodium
- Stay away from anything processed
- Stay away from fast food
- Don’t eat anything deep fried
- Desserts and sweets don’t help
- Eat a lot of fiber
- Don’t consume a lot of alcohol
- Tobacco and drugs don’t help with blood pressure either
Conclusion
As you can see, if you need to get your blood pressure under control, you need to avoid many foods. That said, there are some great alternatives so you can still eat flavorful and satisfying meals without risking a heart attack.