Top 8 Foods to Reduce Blood Pressure

Hypertension is a very common health problem. High blood pressure is one of the two main contributors to high risk of heart diseases and stokes.  However, adopting healthy lifestyle practices and right dietary choices can go a long way in keeping your BP in control.

There are gillion of blood pressure and cholesterol reducing foods that one could add to his diet and enjoy a healthy living. Here are a few suggestions:

1. White Beans: A rich source of proteins and high on potassium contents, white beans can be included in your daily diet as a part of side dishes or soups.

2. Sweet Potato: Eating a medium sized sweet potato takes care of almost 15% of your potassium need in a day. Boiled sweet potatoes with a dressing of black salt and lemon juice is a tasty snack to munch on. You could also make it a part of smoothies or desert recipes.

3. Green Leafy Veggies: Like many other, green leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach give a better ratio of potassium to sodium and thus help in keeping blood pressure in control. Avoid having canned vegetables though; if getting fresh supplies is difficult frozen greens can be worked out with.

4. Bananas: A medium sized banana contains only 1 mg of sodium and almost 400 times potassium. It is therefore suggested by doctors to make bananas a staple part of diet for high blood pressure patients.

5. Plain Yogurt: Medical researchers have found the probiotics in fresh yogurt  are helpful in boosting healthy bacteria in our gut which can positively maintain blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

6. Oatmeal: Another low sodium food is oatmeal. It is also rich in fibers and is fat-free. However, oatmeal on its own can be bland; adding some berries or honey to it would make for a healthy breakfast dish.

7. Kiwi: Grab a cholesterol free-kiwi fruit in between meals. It is a healthy item to pick while taking take of cardiovascular health. Also, kiwi fruit is rich in anti-oxidant contents like vitamin C.

8. Broccoli: Broccoli had not been a popular vegetable in Indian markets, but lately the awareness about its nutritional value has made it an easily available food item here too. With good amount of potassium, it also contains glucosinolates, which is a cancer-battling phytonutrient.

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