High blood pressure is a surprisingly common medical condition. You can have high blood pressure, which is also known as hypertension, for years without any symptoms. When you have high blood pressure your heart has to work much harder to pump blood through blood vessels. This is why high blood pressure poses a major risk for heart disease. It is also recognized as the leading risk factor for strokes.
Fortunately, diet is a can play a huge role in lowering high blood pressure naturally. We don’t eat poorly because we don’t care. We eat poorly because often times it is easier to stick with what we know whether or not it is bad for us. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Replacing a few unhealthy options with healthy recipes from a special doctor-approved diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) can really help to lower blood pressure without taking medication. A DASH diet is simple, too. It just involves making some easy adjustments like reducing salt, eating healthier foods like salmon, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, and yogurt, and, wherever possible, boosting the amount potassium we consume from fruits and vegetables. Here is a list of great delicious recipes for meals for high blood pressure.
1. Roasted Salmon
Salmon is great for lowering blood pressure. It is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are nutrients that your body needs. They promote heart health in addition to having a range of health and mental health benefits. Your body does not produce Omega-3s on its own. So we have to get it from foods we eat, or by taking supplements. As a cold-water fatty fish, salmon is a terrific source of omega-3s. Roasting is one of the healthiest ways to prepare food because it preserves a dish’s nutritional benefits. For best results, add lemon, fresh dill, garlic, and ground black pepper (but no salt!), and cook at 400°F in a baking dish for 20 minutes. To make a complete meal, roast salmon alongside sweet potatoes to enjoy on the side, and add a small salad.
2. Spinach Quiche
Spinach quiche is an ideal meal for people with hypertension because it combines two foods that help lower blood pressure: spinach and eggs. Get used to the idea: spinach is your friend. This superfood is low in fat and cholesterol and helps lower your blood pressure. The big reason blood pressure sufferers need spinach is it a green that is very high in potassium. When you have high blood pressure, salt is your enemy. Potassium works to helps to cancel the damaging effects of salt. Eggs also contain a form of protein that helps lower blood pressure while helping to fight heart disease. Mix these ingredients with cottage cheese to make a traditional quiche that is low in fat and filing. This versatile and simple dish is equally tasty warm or cold for any time of day.
3. Grilled veggie burgers
It’s best not to think of veggie burgers as a meat substitute, but rather as a delicious sandwich idea all on their own. It’s also important to understand that the term “veggie burger” can refer to all kinds of vegetable-based sandwiches. From black bean to soy patties, there are thousands of veggie burger recipes out there, often using wildly different ingredients for different tastes. Moreover, store-bought veggie and vegan products are not necessarily “health food.” Double check the packaging to make sure that any veggie burger that you buy is not high in sodium. Better still: make a veggie patty on your own to tailor its nutritional content to your dietary needs. Mash a mix of health grains like quinoa, black beans, white beans or chickpeas, and ground veggies like onion, carrots, corn, peas, mushrooms and asparagus, season with pepper and spices, and cook in a pan greased with light olive oil for 6 minutes per side, until dark. Try it on a whole wheat bun topped with grilled veggies and low-sodium mustard with a side of baked sweet potato and small salad.
4. Kale Vegetable Bean Soup
A hearty meal filled with heart-healthy veggies, this soup is a must for a rainy day. Kale is a bona-fide superfood that has become easier to find in neighbourhood grocery stores in recent years than ever before. It is full of heart-healthy antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, and iron—making it good for bones as well as the heart. Use kale, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, white beans, low-sodium vegetable broth and any other veggies you love. Experiment for desired texture. Use more beans which you can puree for a thicker soup.
5. Sweet Potatoes: a superfood and powerful side
Because salt is everywhere, especially in packaged foods, it can sometimes seem that having a hypertension limits your diet. But a limited diet does not have to sacrifice great taste! A case in point is the sweet potato. High in fiber, potassium and magnesium, sweet potatoes help with circulation, digestion and, of course lowering your blood pressure. Experiment with a variety of cooking methods, and let sweet potatoes replace other starches in your diet to become your new go-to side dish. This versatile tuber is a tasty and filling food that can be prepared any number of ways: roast, baked, and even fried. Unique among other potatoes, the sweet potato does not become saltier and more calorie rich when they are fried. So treat yourself to delicious homemade sweet potato chips or fries! Other terrific sides include broccoli, salads using kale or spinach, power grains like quinoa, and steamed vegetables.
