Watching what you eat can have a positive impact on your health. Foods that lower blood pressure are many and varied, if you know what to look for; our post points you in the right direction.

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When it comes to hypertension symptoms, a low blood pressure diet can be your medicine. Generally speaking, increasing the amount of plant-based foods (especially fruits and vegetables) in your diet is a must for anyone suffering from high blood pressure. Furthermore, research is showing that certain plant foods are especially good at treating hypertension. With that in mind, try these seven examples of foods that lower blood pressure.

1. Flaxseed

Ingesting 30 grams of ground flaxseed per day lowers systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 mmHg and diastolic pressure (the lower number) by about 7 mmHg in those with hypertension._[1] Whole and ground flaxseed is now found in almost every supermarket. It can be sprinkled on fruit, yogurt, and hot or cold cereal, and blended into smoothies.

2. Beet and apple juice

Are beets good for high blood pressure? Beets and high blood pressure are a great combination. Beets have among the highest nitrate contents of all vegetables. Consuming foods high in nitrates helps the body produce more nitric oxide (NO), which dilates the arteries to decrease blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function. A juice containing 72 percent beet juice and 28 percent apple juice decreases systolic blood pressure by an average of 4 to 5 mmHg._[2] Try making your own carrot, apple, ginger, and beet juice for high blood pressure.

3. Vegetable juice

Tomato-based bottled vegetable juice blends such as V8 or Knudsen’s Very Veggie decrease systolic blood pressure by an average of about 5 mmHg._[3] Look for the organic and low sodium versions of these tasty juice blends.

4. Prunes

Three to six dried plums (prunes) per day can significantly lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol._[4] Prunes may not have the best reputation, but they are actually a sweet, delicious superfruit. While they are great to snack on as is, prunes can also be incorporated into many sweet and savory dishes. For free ideas, visit the California Dried Plum Board’s website here.

Specific flavonoids in blueberries, research shows, are responsible for their blood-pressure-lowering effect.

5. Blueberries

Adding blueberries to the diet significantly lowers blood pressure in animals._[5]

Although no human studies have yet been conducted to show whether blueberries lower blood pressure in hypertensive humans, the likelihood is high given the results of rat studies, which show about a 14 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure with blueberry consumption._[5] Specific flavonoids in blueberries are responsible for their blood-pressure-lowering effect.[6] Wild blueberries have a higher flavonoid content than non-wild varieties. Trader Joe’s sells pesticide-free, frozen wild blueberries that are great blended into smoothies.

(For related reading, see the University Health News post “Health Benefits of Blueberries” by clicking here.)

6. Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus is a potent source of blood-pressure-lowering flavonoids called anthocyanins._[7] Drinking tea made from the deep magenta-colored calyces (sepals) of the hibiscus flower is an easy way to consume these powerful anthocyanins and to lower your blood pressure._[8] Hibiscus is sour, so it’s nice to sweeten the tea a bit with a natural sweetener like stevia. Try it iced with a splash of pomegranate juice for a refreshing drink that will lower your blood pressure while it quenches your thirst.

7. Dark chocolate and cocoa

Dark chocolate and cocoa reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 5 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 3 mmHg._[9] The blood-pressure-lowering effects of cocoa stem from the fact that it is rich in many different phytochemicals, including procyanidins, theobromine, epicatechin, and catechins._[10] The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more phytochemicals it tends to contain. Look for dark chocolate bars with at least 70 percent cocoa content and eat one or two small squares per day. (Note: See also our post “Is Dark Chocolate Healthy? 5 Reasons to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth.”)

Try Adding Foods that Lower Blood Pressure to Your Diet

It’s easy to lower blood pressure with a diet for hypertension. Why not try to lower your blood pressure through your diet? If you have hypertension and do nothing else but add some of these foods that lower blood pressure to your regular diet, you will see your blood pressure readings drop. This means you can reduce your risk of having a devastating stroke or a heart attack just by drinking some hibiscus tea, beet and apple juice, or vegetable juice; or by eating some ground flax seeds, prunes, blueberries, or dark chocolate. How much easier could lowering your blood pressure get?

While you’re at it, don’t miss our article on spices that lower blood pressure.

References

[1] Hypertension. 2013 Dec;62(6):1081-9.
[2] Nutr J. 2012 Dec 11;11:106.
[3] Nutr J. 2010 Sep 17;9:38.
[4] Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2010 Jan-Mar;22(1):28-31.
[5] Br J Nutr. 2013 May 28;109(10):1746-54.
[6] Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2011 Jan;89(1):67-71.
[7] Endocrinol Nutr. 2014 Jan 17.
[8] J Diet Suppl. 2013 Jun;10(2):105-15.
[9] Int J Evid-Bas Healthcare. 2013 Mar;11(1):81-2.
[10] Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(11):1458-72.

This article was originally published in 2016 and is regularly updated.