Blood
Doctor says you have high blood pressure? Here are the healthiest foods to buy
Sep
Dieting to help control high blood pressure
Nearly half of Americans ages 20 and older have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. That’s just over 122-million people if you fall in that category, making some changes like tweaking your diet can be really important.
So, Dr. Norma Dawkins, Ph.D., a professor and department chair of the Tuskegee University Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, says there are certain foods to shop for and some you should leave on the shelf.
First, Dawkins recommends loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Then make that be the biggest part on your plate,” Dawkins says.
If you are not able to find the fruit or vegetable you are looking for in the produce aisle, Dawkins says, check the frozen vegetable section.
Your third choice, Dawkins says, should be canned produce, which is usually higher in salt, or sodium, which you need to cut back on if you have hypertension.
The American Heart Association recommends sticking to less than 1,500 milligrams (mg) of salt a day, but says going lower is better for your heart health.
“You want to make sure you look for those that says ‘reduce sodium’ are ‘no sodium,’” she says.
Next, choose lower fat dairy products, and whole grains.
And go for leaner meats, like poultry, and fatty fish.
The Heart Association also recommends limiting sweets, saturated fats, sugar-sweetened drinks and red meats.
