You know, there are so many drinks to choose from out there, but it's surprising how some of them
can actually do more harm than good to your body. It's no secret that picking the right drinks is
just as important as choosing the right foods. But how can you tell which ones are the right ones?
Especially when it comes to lowering your blood pressure.
Join us in today’s video as we dive into 6 drinks that can lower your blood pressure quickly! Is
it true tea can help? What about Beet juice? And how can the drinks we choose actually improve our
health? Don’t worry we got all your questions covered! So, let’s get into our discussion!
1. Grapefruit juice Let’s settle the debate
about grapefruit juice first. Should you drink it if you have blood pressure issues?
Grapefruit is a tropical fruit under the citrus family. It is packed with essential
nutrients and antioxidants, making it one of the healthiest citrus fruits.
Drinking grapefruit juice can benefit your heart
by positively impacting health markers like cholesterol and blood pressure.
Experts have even conducted research to prove this.
During a 6-week study, participants who consumed grapefruit three times
a day experienced a remarkable decrease in their blood pressure levels. The findings
revealed significant improvements in their bad cholesterol and overall cholesterol levels.
Grapefruit is high in potassium, which is vital to maintain your heart health.
If you eat half a grapefruit or drink a similar quantity of juice, you will get 5% of your body's
potassium daily. Getting enough potassium is key in reducing your blood pressure levels.
Grapefruit also comes with a good amount of fiber. If you have higher amounts of fiber,
it also reduces your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Essentially this means you should drink grapefruit juice as much as possible, right?
Well, not entirely. It’s true grapefruit juice is excellent
for your blood pressure. But it can also negatively interact with your medications.
That’s because grapefruit juice causes the body to absorb too much of the drugs you
ingest. This results in a drastic drop in your blood pressure levels, which can be dangerous.
Too low blood pressure means your blood won’t reach your organs like the heart and brain.
This can increase your chances of heart attack or stroke.
So, if you're planning to take blood pressure medications, it's generally a
good idea to wait for about two to three days after having grapefruit juice. You see, there
are four specific blood pressure medications that you should be a bit cautious about, especially if
you're thinking of including grapefruit in your diet. Better safe than sorry, right?
These meds are: Felodipine
Nifedipine (Procardia) Losartan (Cozaar)
Eplerenone (Inspra) Grapefruit juice significantly decreases the
effect of Losartan. This means your blood pressure med won’t be able to control hypertension.
Besides blood pressure meds, grapefruit juice can also interfere with medicines meant for
treating infections, abnormal heart rhythms, and cholesterol.
This is why you should never make drastic changes in your
diet before consulting your healthcare provider.
2. Beetroot juice
Beetroot not only brings a splash of color to your food but also adds a lot of essential nutrients
to your diet. It is also a delicious vegetable that can be an excellent addition to most dishes.
Elevated blood pressure levels can be risky for your heart and research has shown that
drinking beetroot juice can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood levels down.
Systolic pressure refers to the contraction of the heart, while diastolic pressure corresponds
to the heart's relaxation phase. And it appears that beetroot juice has a
bigger impact on systolic blood pressure. Beetroot contains nitrates, which play
a role in the effectiveness of beet juice in reducing blood pressure levels. These nitrates
can be converted into nitric oxide within the body. Nitric oxide is crucial for dilating
blood vessels, promoting their relaxation, and subsequently lowering blood pressure levels.
Beetroot is also an excellent source of folate. Research has shown that increasing
folates through your diet can help in reducing your blood pressure levels.
Now, when it comes to enjoying beetroot, you have a couple of options.
You can have juice from either raw or cooked beetroots. But here's what the research says:
if you want a more substantial impact on your blood pressure, go for the juice from raw beets.
It seems to have a stronger effect in bringing those levels down.
3. Hibiscus tea Have you ever tried hibiscus
tea? It's considered a herbal tea and it's made by steeping the hibiscus plant in boiling water.
The best part is, you can enjoy it hot or cold, depending on your preference.
While there are many varieties of hibiscus, the most commonly used for making hibiscus tea
is called Roselle. It has this unique tart flavor similar to cranberries.
Drinking hibiscus tea is a natural way to lower your blood pressure. When your blood pressure
remains high over a prolonged period, it puts a significant strain on your heart. Various studies
indicate that hibiscus tea can effectively decrease both systolic and diastolic levels,
providing relief for your heart health. In one study, around 50 individuals
with high blood pressure were chosen to participate. They were divided into two groups:
one group received hibiscus tea while the other group received a placebo. This experiment
lasted for an entire month. When the study concluded, the results were quite remarkable.
The participants who consumed hibiscus tea displayed significantly lower blood pressure
levels compared to those who had received the placebo. This suggests a promising link between
hibiscus tea and the reduction of blood pressure. Hibiscus tea has been found to reduce systolic
pressure by an average of nearly 8 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). This reduction suggests that
hibiscus tea may help lower the force exerted on the arterial walls during each heartbeat.
As for diastolic pressure, hibiscus tea showed a reduction of diastolic pressure
by an average of nearly 4 mmHg. This indicates that hibiscus tea may contribute to a decrease
in the baseline pressure within the arteries. If you're already on blood pressure medication,
it's best to steer clear of hibiscus tea. Drinking this tea could mess with your meds
and cause some health problems. So, it's better to avoid it altogether to stay on the safe side.
(Pause) You know how hibiscus tea has all those amazing
benefits? Well, guess what? There's a whole bunch of other healing teas out there, and one of them
happens to be clove tea. Watch this video to know how drinking clove tea daily can impact your body.
4. Pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice offers more than just a bright
color. It is packed with many nutrients that can help with your blood pressure and heart health.
Pomegranate is packed with polyphenolic compounds. These compounds are especially
effective in keeping your heart healthy. This fruit is also a great source of
folates and vitamin C and is packed in anti-inflammatory properties
that help prevent cardiovascular diseases. An analysis of various studies has shown that
drinking pomegranate juice can lower systolic and diastolic levels. In these studies the impact on
systolic levels was not influenced by how long the participants had been drinking pomegranate juice.
Test tube studies were also conducted using pomegranate extract.
The results showed that it helped in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation
while also reducing blood pressure levels and ensured no plaque build-up in the arteries.
Researchers conducted another study involving individuals with heart disease.
The participants were given a cup of pomegranate juice every day for five days. The findings
revealed that the juice not only reduced chest pains but also improved overall heart health.
5. Skim milk Skim milk and yogurt
are actually perfect examples of low-fat dairy products. They're like the MVPs of any diet trying
to tackle high blood pressure. Plus, they're super rich in calcium, which is always a bonus!
A study was conducted involving women who consumed at least five servings of yogurt per week.
The results were quite intriguing as they revealed a minimum 20% reduction in risk
of high blood pressure levels among the participants. This finding highlights the
potential benefits of including yogurt in one's diet to promote better blood pressure management.
Another study was conducted among nearly 2,700 participants. And guess what they discovered?
The results revealed a strong connection between consuming more skim milk and experiencing lower
systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. It's pretty remarkable how something as simple as
increasing skim milk intake can potentially have a positive impact on our blood pressure readings.
When it comes to dairy intake, experts often recommend aiming for at least two
or three servings of skim milk per day. However, if skim milk isn’t your thing,
don’t worry! You can easily swap it out with other low-fat dairy alternatives. The key is to ensure
you're getting those important nutrients while keeping the fat content in check.
Incorporating a glass of skim milk into your meal can be a great choice. You can pour skim
milk over your cereal or blend it into a delicious smoothie. Even when enjoying your morning coffee,
consider using skim milk instead of regular milk for a lighter option.
Now, if you're opting for yogurt instead of skim milk there's one important thing to keep in mind:
watch out for added sugars. Choosing yogurt with added sugar defeats the purpose of
trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While you may be benefiting your heart,
it's crucial to avoid potential health issues that may arise from consuming excessive sugar. So,
make sure to select yogurts without any added sugars for the best results.
6. Berry juice
Whenever there is a discussion about healthy foods, berries will most likely be on the list.
That’s because they come with an impressive list of health benefits. One of them is
their effectiveness in protecting your heart health by reducing your blood pressure levels.
Blueberries are frequently referred to as superfoods due to their numerous health benefits.
Not only do they have a low-calorie content, but they also make a convenient addition to any diet.
Consuming berry juice is an even more advantageous approach to
getting a full range of health benefits. A study was conducted among those with
obesity and a higher chance of heart disease for eight weeks. Results showed eating two
ounces of blueberries daily helped reduce blood pressure by up to 6%. Blueberries have similar
effects on postmenopausal women as well. Similarly, a study was conducted among
participants who had cranberry or cherry juice. The results of the research showed there was a
marked decrease in blood pressure levels. In another study, it was seen that eating
berries brought down systolic levels. They also reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.
Als, eating berries or having berry juice helps in preventing cardiovascular diseases.
High blood pressure is dangerous to your health. Fortunately,
you can control it with a doctor-prescribed treatment and make healthy lifestyle changes.
But this doesn’t mean we should ignore low blood pressure levels. Let’s continue our
discussion with two more videos. Shall we? Watch 13 Foods That Raise Blood Pressure,
According To Dietitians You can also try our video on
18 Natural Remedies To Raise Low Blood Pressure. Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both,
and learn more about nutrition and blood pressure levels. Will you be
trying any of these blood pressure-lowering drinks? Let us know in the comments below!