Foods That Lower Blood Pressure: Foods Low in Salt
Lowering blood pressure may also require reducing the amount of salt you take into your body. Salt and
high blood pressure go hand in hand, because salt can make your blood vessels and body tissues swell and fill with fluid. This puts an extra strain on your heart and can increase
blood pressure. The good news is that recent research has shown that by reducing salt in one's diet, a person can lower his or her blood pressure.
Most Americans consume more salt than they need -- an average of 3,300 milligrams per day (about 1.5 teaspoons). The current recommendation is to consume less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day. That equals 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of table salt a day. This included all salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table.
For someone with high blood pressure, African Americans, or middle-aged and older adults, a doctor may advise eating less salt and sodium, since recent research has shown that people consuming no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day had even better blood pressure-lowering benefits. These lower-sodium diets also can keep blood pressure from rising and help
blood pressure medicines work better.
Impact of Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
People with high blood pressure who followed the DASH diet at the lowest sodium level (1,500 milligrams per day) had an average systolic
blood pressure reading 11.5 mmHg lower than participants eating the control diet at the highest sodium level (3,300 milligrams per day). For those who did not have high blood pressure, the
systolic blood pressure was 7.1 mmHg lower in those eating 1,500 milligrams per day compared to those eating 3,300 milligrams per day.
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