Foods For High Blood Pressure
|
Sodium Reduction
Cutting back on salt and substituting new flavors will soon become second nature and you will notice a new variety to your eating and one of the best result is weight loss.
Share your stories, ask questions or make comments about this topic. View other's stories.
Remember that initially the foods for high blood pressure control will taste different, so allow your taste receptors to adjust and that will take around two weeks.
After that you will be able to detect sodium in your food very easily and you will be able to distinguish between different foods. Once your taste buds adjust, your taste for salty foods will change.
Keep in mind that an adult requires only about 250 milligram (mg) of sodium a day.
Connection Between Food and Body
Some thoughts to keep in mind - an overall diet includes egg, fish and poultry because they are more easily digested than pork, beef and lamb.
But beef and lamb are warming foods, usually reserved for the cold weather or for yin conditions.
Pork is neutral but is believed to moisten dryness and is often included for individuals with thin, nervous or weak constitutions.
Check out these healthy diet plans.
All About Vegetables
When eating meat, include plenty of vegetables, rice, noodles and bread.
Vegetables such as leafy greens or cabbage and broccoli are often paired with meat since they help in the digestion of the protein.
Marinades made with rice wine, garlic, lemon juice, tamarind juice and vinegar are also added to break down the fats and proteins.
And of course the use of ginger is common because it is believed to cleanse the body of toxins from meat dishes.
I read this statement sometime ago it said, your body is on a curvy S line, it changes every day depending on the weather, your activities, your natural constitution, and age. If we eat the correct foods, our bodies will go in the direction we want.
Replacing Salt
So lets get started on Low-salt recipes of foods for high blood pressure control:
- Lower your use of any form of Kosher or table salt, or other forms of salt such as sea salt, garlic salt or celery salt and remember anything that says flavor enhancer nearly always contain sodium, mostly in the form of monosodium glutamate.
- You may use potassium salt substitute, but make sure that it is one that does not contain any sodium and use it sparingly because it has a bitterist aftertaste, especially when you first use it.
- We will be replacing salt with these flavorful spices such as ginger - fresh or ground, paprika, ground pepper or fresh pepper picked from your herb garden, chili power, cayenne pepper, curry powder, cinnamon, garam masala, nutmeg, cloves and peppercorn.
- To add some varied flavors to your foods for high blood pressure add dry mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, white or red wine, cider or beer.
- Fresh herbs such as basil, chives, mint, parsley, sage, rosemary and tarragon are all excellent replacement to lowering our salt intake. These herbs can be grown year round in pots on a sunny windowsill or you can use dried herbs. Mixed dried herbs are great and easy to use.
- We will be using plenty of onions, shallots, and garlic - all these seasonings are great for making stock and stews.
- I will be giving you instructions on how to make your own tasteful stock, that can be stored in your freezer and will always come in useful.
- Our recipes will include nutritional blockbuster that fight high blood pressure such as these minerals - potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Your Body Needs Minerals
Minerals that must be included in your foods for high blood pressure are:
- Potassium: This mineral neutralizes sodium by flushing it out in our urine and also relaxes our blood vessels and that improves our blood flow. Foods for high blood pressure minerals are peas, beans, apricots, peaches, bananas, prunes, oranges, spinach, stewed tomatoes, sweet potatoes, avocados and figs.
- Magnesium: This mineral also relaxes our blood vessels but it balances the amount of sodium and potassium in our blood cells - less sodium, more potassium. Magnesium rich foods for high blood pressure includes wholewheat breads and cereals, broccoli, chard, spinach, okra, oysters, scallops, sea bass, mackerel, beans, nuts and seeds.
- Calcium: Like potassium, calcium works at helping our bodies get rid of sodium through our urine. Good sources of calcium are cheese, milk, yogurt, broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, mackerel, perch, and salmon. Find more information on calcium supplements here.
Vegans Must Include
Becoming a vegan will lower your blood pressure and have most of the foods for high blood pressure control, but remember to include protein and iron.
To make sure you are getting all the nutrients that your body needs add beans and legumes for protein, oatmeal and whole wheat for iron, and walnuts and canola oil for omega-3.
And, if you are not eating fish and cook only in soybean or corn oil your ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may be very low, so make a note of that.
SAMPLE MEAL PLAN
Choose one of the suggested dishes from each of the categories of foods for high blood pressure in the different meals, vary ingredients to keep your interest and remember to check your calorie intake. We also provide slow cooker recipes.
Breakfast
Fruit Juice - fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juices. If taking blood pressure pills wait two hours between juice and taking medication.
Fresh or canned Prunes, stewed fruit
Occasionally boiled, poached or scrambled eggs
Low salt Bread with unsalted butter or salt-free margarine, Hummus, Jam, Marmalade or Honey
Tea or coffee
Lunch or Light Meal
Low sodium bread or rolls filled with cold sliced of homemade roast chicken, fish or meat, egg, homemade meat loaf.
Homemade savory pastries or quiche stuffed with ground meat or vegetables.
Salt free crackers with cream cheese, cucumber and tomato.
Mixed salads with meat, eggs, raw onions, beans and some walnuts. The walnuts gives the salad a crunchy taste.
Fresh fruits, mixed unsalted nuts and raisins, homemade cake or cookies.
Tea, coffee, fruit drinks or juices.
Dinner or Main Meal
Homemade soup made with homemade vegetable stock. Do not use bouillon cubes they have a high content of salt.
Meat or fish, broiled, baked or roasted
Meat or vegetable casserole
Homemade pie or turnover
Vegetables or salad
Rice, pasta, potatoes or low salt bread
Desserts
Fresh fruit
Gelatin dessert or small ice cream
Fruit pie or tart
Steamed or baked sponge cake made with salt free baking powder
Baked apple with cinnamon
Heavy cream or small quantity of custard sauce
Tea, coffee
Enjoy these flavorful foods for high blood pressure control and you will be on your way to a reduction in your medication, weight loss and probably no longer be hypertensive.
Note: If you drink any of these as an after dinner drink, wine, beer or other alcoholic drink, check the amount of sodium it contains, so you stay within your daily allowance.
Return to "What Causes High Blood Pressure" from "Foods For High Blood Pressure".
Write A Review About Your Foods For High Blood Pressure
Write about the foods for high blood pressure that you eat that is lowering your high blood pressure.
Do you know of certain types of foods that helps to control high blood pressure, or a recipe?
Why not share your ideas here.
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.
Newsletter Sign-Up
"Overcoming
High Blood Pressure"
Understanding
High Blood Pressure
Numbers Mean?
