19 Foods To Avoid For High Blood Pressure You Need To Know
High blood pressure is a lifestyle disorder. It can be corrected, improved,
and a person can come out of this whole problem with some effort; Sounds easy, right?
But still, according to reports of the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), nearly half
of the adults in the US have hypertension, and only 1 in 4 have their condition under control.
It is mainly due to the unawareness of people about high blood pressure management.
It is essential to be aware of your enemy to protect yourself.
So get ready to save yourself from complications of high blood pressure
as we are going to share with you 19 foods to avoid for high blood pressure you need to know.
#1. Salt Sodium is
the enemy of people who suffer from high blood pressure. Sodium causes high fluid retention,
which puts extra strain on your blood vessels, and if you think sea salt is better for you, No!
As sea salt contains about the same amount of sodium as regular salt. Sodium is present in
all kinds of salt, and hence the only option is to reduce your salt intake, yes, even sea salt.
#2. Pickles
The process of pickling uses a lot of salt that prevents perishable fruits, vegetables,
and meat from rotting. The flesh of pickled food often contains an extraordinary amount of salt,
which can spike blood pressure and harm a person already suffering from high blood pressure.
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#3.Canned soup and tomato products
It is easier to turn to canned foods such as canned soups and tomato products to save precious
cooking time. However, any food item that has been canned comes with a high dose of sodium.
Sodium is added to them as a preservative to increase the shelf life of canned goods. So
avoid canned foods and instead prepare fresh food and use hand-picked tomatoes for your daily meals.
#4. Sugar According to research, Increase in
sugar will increase a person's leptin and insulin, which in turn increase blood pressure. The first
place to reduce your sugar intake is by cutting out your favorite soft drinks. Excess sugar and
especially fructose can contribute to weight gain, which contributes to high blood pressure.
#5. Frozen fish and seafood Although most fish and seafood are highly
nutritious, if you buy frozen packs of fish, you are probably going to be eating a bunch of sodium.
Fish and seafood are mixed in a brine solution before they are frozen; to give them a longer
shelf life. They may tell you that only fresh fish is frozen with no chemicals, but the truth
is no one accounts for the salt. Buy fresh fish and eat fresh fish to lower your blood pressure.
#6. Highly Processed food Processed foods are loaded
with salts. All kinds of processed foods including, meat and juice,
are preserved with ridiculously high amounts of sodium to maintain long shelf lives.
Eat fresh food as much as possible to avoid the risk of high blood pressure
#7. Alcohol Although one glass of wine or
beer is not going to send your blood pressure shooting to the danger zone if you regularly
binge on alcohol, you are definitely inviting trouble in the hypertension department. Many
scientific studies prove the positive association between hypertension and high use of alcohol.
#8. Deli meat Deli meat is one the
deadliest carriers of high sodium. If your regular diet involves sandwiches or other foods prepared
with these processed meats, you are eating a lot of unnecessary sodium. According to research,
low-fat deli meat sandwiches can be more dangerous than regular ones due to refined
products and high preservatives (sodium), which can negatively affect blood pressure.
#9. Frozen Pizza Let's go deep in a frozen pizza,
Firstly the cheese in it can make your sodium intake skyrocket, then comes tomato sauce
which is also high in sodium, and last (but not least), we have pizza crust which also contains
sodium. In a frozen pizza, manufacturers add even more quantity of salt to make it taste better.
#10. Sauerkraut Sauerkraut is
considered healthy due to the high amount of fiber and vitamins, but the downside is its
high salt content which can be too much for people suffering from high blood pressure.
Unfortunately, commonly available sauerkraut in the market is usually pasteurized and dead,
so it lacks beneficial bacterial cultures, and all you get is a high amount of salt.
#11. Ramen noodles Ramen noodles are easy to cook and are delicious,
no doubt but, they contain 1820 milligrams of sodium, which is almost two-thirds of
the daily recommended sodium concentration by the FDA. According to one research in Korea,
consuming noodles is positively associated with incident hypertension.
#12. Bacon
According to the US Department of Agriculture's food database,
commercially available bacon of some famous brands contains 330 milligrams of sodium in just
two strips, so they surely are not a good option if you want to control your blood pressure.
#13. Deep-fried foods They contain a high amount of
saturated fat and contribute to increasing the body's cholesterol load, which causes
the hardening of arterial walls, hard and narrow arterial walls don't allow smooth flow of blood.
#14. Butter and ghee They are rich in saturated fat.
Consuming too much saturated fat results in high cholesterol, which can build up
in the walls of your arteries, making them narrow and increasing your blood pressure.
#15. Caffeine Caffeine causes a significant spike
in blood pressure by causing the adrenal glands to release excess cortisol and adrenaline substances,
which results in constriction of your blood vessels. It can cause a spike in your
blood pressure which is dangerous for those already suffering from high blood pressure.
#16. Energy drink Do you regularly consume energy
drinks while thinking they just provide you more energy for better concentration, and what could
go wrong with that? Well; The problem is they contain a high amount of caffeine and taurine (a
chemical compound). Both of them indirectly affect cardiac function and increase blood pressure.
One research indicates that consuming two cans of energy drink
causes high blood pressure and increases heart rate in healthy individuals.
You should better avoid it if already suffering from high blood pressure.
#17. Bread According to AHA
(American Heart Association), Bread is the biggest contributor to sodium in American individuals.
Results of various studies show the contribution of bread in elevating blood pressure. When
shopping, check the sodium content and opt for loaves containing 5% daily value or less sodium.
#18. Cheese A Sharp, tangy taste in
cheese comes by adding salt to it. Cheddar, Feta, and Edam contain the most quantities of salt.
You can enjoy eating low sodium varieties like Mozzarella and Emmental.
#19. Condiments (Salad dressings, Soy sauce) While taking care of our salt intake,
we often ignore sauces and salad dressings we are putting in our meals. They contain a high amount
of sodium and should not be ignored by a person suffering from high blood pressure. Check the
label before purchasing them to know about sodium quantity; try to choose the one low in sodium.
No doubt it is difficult to choose healthy options at the start but believe me, your
body will thank you for making that sacrifice, and you will notice visible changes after some time.
Try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, limit frozen and canned products intake,
and while shopping, read the label to choose foods low in sodium. The AHA (American Heart
Association) recommends 2300 milligrams of sodium a day with an ideal limit of 1500 mg a day.
Will you start avoiding these foods after watching this video?
Let us know in the comment section below.
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