Eating healthier food may be one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. In general, reducing the amounts of carbs and sugar in your daily diet and upping your intake of lean protein, fruits, and veggies can be great ways to improve your diet and combat high blood pressure. 

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Change Your Diet to Lower Your Blood Pressure
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Following certain diets for high blood pressure that are similar to a Mediterranean diet, such as the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) may also help. Changing your diet can also help shed a few pounds which is another way to help reduce hypertension. In fact, studies show that if you are overweight, even losing as little as 5 to 10 pounds can help lower blood pressure.

Foods that are naturally high in potassium may help reduce hypertension. Potassium is an electrolyte mineral contained in some of the things that we eat. Potassium pulls double duty on fighting high blood pressure because it can help lessen the effect that salt has on our bodies by helping get rid of excess sodium and it can help ease tension in blood vessels. 

Here are some foods that are rich in potassium that you can add to you diet to help lower your blood pressure:

  • Fruits, including bananas, apricots, oranges, and avocados
  • Vegetables, including potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and other greens
  • Fish
  • Dairy that is low in fat, such as milk and yogurt

Two other foods that have been scientifically proven to help lower blood pressure include garlic and surprisingly, dark chocolate (as long as it is 60 to 70% cacao).

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