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Eating with High Blood Pressure: Medically reviewed by

Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN
LD CLT, Nutrition — Written

Foods and Drinks to Avoid by Kimberly Holland —

Updated on December 1,
2021

DASH diet Foods to avoid Foods to eat Outlook

Diet can have a big impact on your blood pressure, which is the force of your blood ADVERTISEMENT

against the walls of your blood vessels.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects 47 percent & of U.S. adults.

Hypertension can cause health problems over time, including heart disease and
stroke.

Salty foods in particular can cause high blood pressure. When you eat salt, your body
retains more fluids, raising your blood volume and pressure. Sugary foods and foods
high in saturated fats can also increase blood pressure.

On the other hand, eating a heart-healthy diet can help you reach and maintain a
healthy blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure, the American Heart Association (AHA) & advises
eating plenty of:

fruits
vegetables
lean protein
whole grains

At the same time, the AHA recommends limiting foods that can keep your blood
pressure elevated, such as:

red meat
salt (sodium)
foods and drinks that contain added sugars

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DASH diet
One heart-healthy eating plan is the DASH diet, which the AHA & recommends to help
manage blood pressure. DASH stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension”
and was created in the 1990s & .

The diet aims to include 4,700 milligrams (mg) & of potassium daily while reducing
sodium, which helps lower blood pressure. Studies indicate that the diet is effective,
with a 2020 research review finding that it reduced blood pressure in people with
hypertension as well as in those without the condition.

The DASH diet involves eating:

fruits, such as apples, bananas, and strawberries

vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, and carrots
nuts, such as almonds and walnuts
legumes and seeds, such as kidney beans, lentils, and sunflower seeds
whole grains, such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and oatmeal
low fat dairy, such as fat-free milk and reduced fat cheese
lean protein, such as skinless chicken or fish

The number of servings of each food depends on your daily calorie requirements.

On the other hand, the plan limits:

foods high in saturated fats, such as fatty meats and palm oil
sugar-sweetened beverages
sugary foods, such as maple syrup, candy, and jelly
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alcohol

It also sets a maximum intake of 2,300 mg & of sodium per day.

Foods to avoid
Whether or not you follow a particular diet, certain foods and ingredients may raise
your blood pressure or help keep it high. Limiting these foods may help manage your
blood pressure.

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Salt or sodium
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&
Salt, or specifically the sodium in salt, is a major contributor to high blood pressure
and heart disease. This is because of how it affects fluid balance in the blood.

Table salt is around 40 percent sodium. Some amount of salt is important for health,
but it’s easy to eat too much. The AHA & recommends getting no more than 2,300 mg
of sodium — the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of salt — each day.

Most of the sodium in the American diet comes from packaged, processed food rather
than what you add at the table. Sodium may be hidden in unexpected places.

The following foods, known as the “salty six,” are major contributors & to people’s
daily salt intake:

breads and rolls

pizza
sandwiches Top 6 Benefits of Taking Collagen
cold cuts and cured meats Supplements ,

soup
burritos and tacos

Deli meat
Processed deli and lunch meats are often packed with sodium. That’s because
manufacturers cure, season, and preserve these meats with salt.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) database, just two slices of
bologna contain 910 mg & of sodium. One frankfurter, or hot dog, contains 567 mg & .

Adding other high salt foods, such as bread, cheese, various condiments, and pickles, ADVERTISEMENT

means that a sandwich can easily become very high in sodium.

Frozen pizza
The combination of ingredients in frozen pizzas means they’re high in sugar, saturated
fat, and sodium. Frozen pizza can have especially high levels of sodium.

Cheese is often high in sodium. Just two slices of American cheese contain 512 mg &
of sodium. This is generally in combination with a salty or sugary pizza dough and
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crust, cured meats, and tomato sauce. Vitamins and Antioxidants ,

To maintain flavor in the pizza once it’s been cooked, manufacturers often add a lot of
salt.

One 12-inch pepperoni pizza, cooked from frozen, contains 3,140 mg & of sodium,
which is well above the daily limit of 2,300 mg.

As a substitute, try making pizza at home, using homemade dough, low sodium
cheese, and your favorite vegetables as toppings.

Pickles
Preserving any food requires salt. It stops the food from decaying and keeps it edible
for longer.

The longer vegetables sit in canning and preserving liquids, the more sodium they
pick up.

One small pickled cucumber contains 448 mg & of sodium.

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That said, reduced sodium options are available.

Canned soups
Canned soups are simple and easy to prepare, especially when you’re crunched for
time or not feeling well.

However, canned soups are high in sodium. Canned and packaged broths and stocks
may contain similar amounts. This means they can elevate your blood pressure.
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One can of tomato soup contains 1,110 mg & of sodium, while a can of chicken and
vegetable soup contains 2,140 mg & .

Try choosing low or reduced sodium soups instead, or make your own soup at home
from fresh ingredients.

Canned tomato products

Most canned tomato sauces, pasta sauces, and tomato juices are high in sodium. This
means they can raise your blood pressure, especially if you already have high blood
pressure.

One serving (135 grams) of marinara sauce contains 566 mg & of sodium. One cup of
tomato juice contains 615 mg & .

You can find low or reduced sodium versions for most tomato products.

To lower your blood pressure, choose these alternatives or use fresh tomatoes, which
are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene. Fresh vegetables have many heart-healthy
benefits.
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Sugar
Sugar can increase your blood pressure in several ways.

Research indicates that sugar — and especially sugar-sweetened drinks — contributes

to weight gain in adults and children. Overweight and obesity increases the chance &
of having high blood pressure.

Added sugar may also have a direct effect on increasing blood pressure, though more
research is needed.

One 2019 study in females with high blood pressure reported that decreasing sugar Was this article helpful?
by 2.3 teaspoons could result in an 8.4 mm Hg drop in systolic and a 3.7 mm Hg drop
in diastolic blood pressure.
Yes No
The AHA & recommends the following daily added sugar limits:

6 teaspoons, or 25 grams, for females

9 teaspoons, or 36 grams, for males

Processed foods with trans or saturated fat

To keep the heart healthy, it’s best to reduce saturated fats and avoid trans fats. This
is especially true for people with high blood pressure.

Trans fats are artificial fats that increase packaged foods’ shelf life and stability.

However, eating them raises & LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lowers HDL (good)
cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of hypertension.

Saturated fats also increase & the levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Trans fats are especially harmful for your health and are linked to & poor heart health,
including an increased risk of:

heart disease
stroke
type 2 diabetes

Packaged, pre-prepared foods often contain trans fats and saturated fats, alongside
high amounts of sugar, sodium, and low fiber carbohydrates.

Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, including:

full fat milk and cream

butter
red meat
chicken skin

The AHA & recommends reducing intake of both saturated and trans fats to help keep
the heart healthy.

One way to reduce your saturated fat intake is to replace some animal foods with
plant-based alternatives.

Many plant-based foods contain healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty

acids. Examples of plant-based foods include:

nuts
seeds
olive oil
avocado

According to a 2015 study & , full fat dairy doesn’t raise blood pressure.

Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor might recommend that you reduce the
amount of alcohol you drink. Research from 2017 found a link between drinking less
alcohol and lowering blood pressure among people who usually had more than two
drinks each day.

In people who do not have hypertension, limiting alcohol intake may help reduce their
risk of developing high blood pressure.

Alcohol can also prevent & blood pressure medications that you may be taking from
working effectively through drug interactions.

In addition, many alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and calories. Drinking alcohol can
contribute & to overweight and obesity, which can increase the risk of hypertension.

If you drink, the AHA & recommends limiting your alcohol intake to two drinks per day
for males and one drink per day for females.

If cutting back on alcohol is difficult, speak with a doctor for advice.

Foods to eat
Eating heart-heathy foods can actively reduce your blood pressure, both in the short
and long term. In general, these include:

vegetables
fruits
whole grains
fish and poultry
nuts and legumes

Research suggests that specific foods and minerals may also help with blood
pressure.

For example, studies & indicate that potassium reduces blood pressure in people with
hypertension, because potassium offsets the effects of sodium.

Foods that contain nitrates can reduce & blood pressure, too, including beets and
pomegranate juice. These foods also contain other heart-healthy components,
including antioxidants and fiber.

When choosing canned or processed foods, opt for reduced sodium, no sodium, or no
salt added options.

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Outlook
The foods you eat can affect your blood pressure, both positively and negatively.

Foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated or trans fats can increase blood pressure and
damage your heart health. By limiting these foods and replacing them with healthy
options, you can keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

A diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help keep your
heart healthy.

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