Diet for High Blood Pressure

A diet for high blood pressure should be an integral part of your plan for managing your hypertension. Eating to control your blood pressure doesn't mean, either, that you're confined to bland, tasteless foods. With a little know how and some creative thinking you might not what's bad for you at all.

High Blood Pressure Diet Tips

• Bag the salt. Salt, or more specifically, sodium, can be a huge culprit in contributing to high blood pressure.
• Not only should you quit using salt when you cook at home, you should start looking at the sodium contents of prepared foods, including canned goods. Before you buy any pre-prepared foods, check their nutritional labels for sodium levels. If possible, purchase the low or no sodium variations. While you are there, avoid foods that have saturated fats.
• Remember that "organic" doesn't necessarily equate to "healthy." Treat packaged organic foods as you would any other pre-prepared foods. Check their labels and look for sodium and saturated fat levels.
• Living a salt free diet is not the same as living a "tasteless" diet. Salt may have been hiding some of the subtleties of herbs that you generally use when cooking.
• Reduce your alcohol consumption.

High Blood Pressure Diet Foods
Just because you have high blood pressure doesn't mean that your meals can't be flavorful and tasty. You will need to have a varied diet rich in foods that have calcium, magnesium and potassium as well as fibers. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits and a variety of whole grains. Some terrific foods for a high blood pressure diet include:

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Celery
• Grapefruit
• Green beans
• Halibut
• Lean meats
• Low or non-fat dairy products
• Navy beans
• Oranges
• Salmon
• Spinach
• Sunflower seeds
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Foods to Avoid for High Blood Pressure
In general, you are going to want to avoid unhealthy foods such as fatty meats, whole dairy products, fast foods and, of course, salt. Foods to exclude from your diet include:

• Processed foods with high sodium content
• Skin on chicken
• Bacon or other cured meats
• Fast foods
• Foods high in saturated or trans fats. Check the labels of the foods that you are buying.
• Foods with a lot of sugar content

Instead of dealing with your new diet as a hardship, look at your meals as an opportunity to explore. Search for recipes that use different combinations of spices. Try foods from different parts of the world. You may be surprised at how your taste buds, as well as your blood pressure, respond.

If you have any questions regarding your diet, consult your doctor.