3 Foods That Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Today

These foods lower blood pressure

There are a few foods that, when consumed in the proper quantities, can help to lower blood pressure—and keep it lower. Try to incorporate these foods into your diet on a daily basis:

Try These Foods That Lower Blood Pressure Quickly

1. Oat bran

Oat bran is the part of the oat that has the most benefits. This bran is the outer covering of the oat and contains the fiber and nutrients which give oats their unique nutritional advantage.

Oat bran contains a high amount of soluble fiber which has the capability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It does this by affecting the transport of cholesterol in the gut and improving insulin sensitivity which causes a decrease in the secretion of cytokines responsible for the inflammatory process.

This functional food contains beta-glucan which is a type of soluble fiber whose use is attributed to lower rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Oat bran can be taken as an added food supplement to your regular diet and can be added to your cereal or yogurt every day.

I recommend consuming one to two tbsp of oat bran every day to lower blood pressure. Begin slowly with 1/2 tbsp of oat bran each day and then after a few weeks sequentially increase the amount to two tablespoons. Please make sure you drink at least two liters of water daily.

2. Flax Seed

Ground flax seed also contains soluble fiber as well but also essential, healthy fats and chemicals called lignans which are beneficial to human health.

Ground flax seed contains the type of soluble fiber associated with the control of blood pressure and cholesterol. Ground flax seed can lower blood pressure because it has healthy fats which help decrease inflammation and artery wall build up.

Add two tablespoons of flax every week to your cereals, yogurt, and salads. Remember to purchase ground flax seed in vacuum-sealed containers as the air will damage the sensitive fats contained within the flax seed.

3. Legumes

Beans and peas are an excellent choice to include in your diet if you want to lower blood pressure—and keep it low. I consider legumes a “superfood” because they contain generous amounts of plant protein and complex carbohydrates which are needed to control blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Legumes also contain soluble fiber which can control high levels of inflammation and blood sugar and help prevent body fat accumulation.

Eating more legumes will also ensure you get your required amount of potassium. Although most people eat too much sodium, they also tend to consume less potassium required to maintain a normal blood pressure reading. This imbalance can lead to an upward shift in your blood pressure over time.

I recommend consuming at least one to two servings of legumes every other day during the week.


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Sources:
Khoury, E., et al., “Beta glucan: health benefits in obesity and metabolic syndrome,” J NutrMetab 2012: 851362.
Akhtar, S., et al., “Flaxseed – a miraculous defense against some critical maladies,” Pak J Pharm Sci. January 2013; 26(1): 199-208
Bazzano, L.A., et al., “Dietary Approaches to Prevent Hypertension,” CurrHypertens Rep. October 2013.