Salt in meals and avoid fried and industrial foods such as sausages and canned foods due to their high salt content. . Similarly, it is important to eat foods rich in saturated fats and sugar in moderation, because an excess of these foods can also contribute to an increase in blood pressure.




To help control high blood pressure, preference should be given to consuming natural foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes and lean meats.




In addition, those who suffer from high blood pressure should increase their water consumption by eating 2 to 2.5 liters a day, in order to contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body; As well as increasing regular physical activity such as walking or running at least 3 times a week.




See other ways to control high blood pressure without medication.




Watch the following video with dietitian Tatjana Žanin for advice on what to eat to control high blood pressure:






Food to eat


The foods most commonly used to lower high blood pressure are:




All fresh fruit


low-fat, low-salt cheeses;


olive oil;


coconut water;


all grains;


beet juice;


Egg;


Raw and cooked vegetables.


lean meats like skinless chicken, turkey and fish;


raw peanuts, walnuts or cashews, nuts and hazelnuts (without salt);


Low fat yogurt.


It is also important to include diuretic foods such as watermelon, pineapple, cucumber, primrose, nopal, etc. in the diet, and to increase the intake of water and natural tea, because their consumption will help eliminate fluid retention through urine and regulate blood pressure.




Learn more about foods with diuretic properties.




How much salt can we consume per day?


The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of 5 grams of salt (level of one teaspoon) of salt per day, for adults, and up to 3 grams for children. Salt consists of the minerals chloride and sodium, the latter of which is the cause of high blood pressure.




The daily recommendation for sodium is less than 2 grams per day, and some foods, such as cod, shellfish and organ meat, contain large amounts of this mineral. Also, it is important to be careful and read the nutritional label of industrial food, because it generally contains large amounts of sodium. Learn how to read food labels to choose the best products.




To replace or reduce the amount of salt in the diet, various spices and aromatic herbs can be used to give foods more flavor, for example marjoram, rosemary, primrose and coriander.




How much coffee can I drink?


Some research shows that caffeine in coffee can increase blood pressure shortly after consumption, regardless of whether a person has high blood pressure or not.




The effects of its long-term consumption still need to be further studied; However, some studies show that a moderate intake of 3 cups a day is beneficial for health, avoiding cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmia, heart attack and diabetes.




Food to avoid


Foods you should not eat in case of high blood pressure include:




sausage foods, such as ham, sausage, mortadella, salami, bacon, bacon or bacon;


canned foods, such as tuna or sardines;


canned and canned vegetables, such as pickles, olives, asparagus and palm hearts;


ready-made sauces, such as ketchup, soy or English sauce, mayonnaise, mustard;


cubes or bags of spices ready to be added to food;


fatty flesh, such as the hips, shoulders, and skirts;


organic meat, pancakes, anchovies, salted cod;


Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, energy drinks and canned juices.


Similarly, it is important to avoid fried foods; Cheese, like parmesan, provolone and Swiss, and sweets, like ice cream, biscuits, jams and cakes. This food is rich in fats and sugar, which helps to create fatty deposits in the arteries, making it harder for blood to flow and thus increasing blood pressure.