Foods To Avoid With High Blood Pressure
Sodium-Rich Foods
The sodium present in salt is one of the major contributors to high blood pressure. An increased level of sodium in the body affects the water balance and thus, could cause an increase in blood pressure.
The table salt that you consume is about 40% sodium. The daily value of sodium for adults is about 2300 mg per day but it is very easy to cross the limit. Salt in moderate amounts is important for the body to maintain the electrolyte balance.
To limit the damage that can be caused by excessive sodium intake, you can either limit the consumption of salt (less than a teaspoon per day), or you can switch to alternative salts which have comparatively less sodium in them.
Canned Soups And Broths
As per this nutrient info by USDA, a 148-gram cup of canned tomato soup can contain about 558 mg of sodium which is almost 50% of the daily required amount.
Packaged or canned broths and stocks contain similar amounts of sodium. A 303-gram can of chicken vegetable soup can contain about 2140 mg of sodium and can immediately elevate your blood pressure.
Deli Meat
Processed lunch meats and Deli meats like bologna include 1380 mg of sodium in just 100 grams. Other meat food options like frankfurter meat have around 1090 mg of sodium per 100-gram serving.
Other than that, these are rich in preservatives that increase the water content in blood and this causes pressure to build on the vessel walls. With time, the walls become weak and suffer injuries.
Thus, processed meat and high-sodium food like deli meat should be avoided at all costs and rather focus on fruits, vegetables, starch, and refined grains.
Foods With High Trans Fats
Certain foods in the market are labeled as high in trans-fat and saturated fats. These fats are bad for your health, especially if you’re hypertensive.
Trans fats are artificial fats that are added to food to maintain its stability and thus increase the shelf-life of the product. An overconsumption of high fat may pose a great threat to increase chances for cardiovascular risk.
Saturated fats are bad as they are hard to break down in the body. Both of these fats can increase the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body.
This bad cholesterol deposits cholesterol in your bloodstream and increases the risk of hypertension. This indirectly increases the risk of other associated conditions such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
A great way to reduce the intake of these unhealthy fats is by avoiding processed foods like pizzas, French fries, and burgers.
You should also avoid eating pre-prepared and ready-to-make foods. Other than that, eating red meat, full-fat dairy products, and certain oils like avocado oil, in moderation can also reduce the risk of hypertension.
Pickles
Pickling any food requires sodium to preserve it which prevents it from going bad quickly and increases its shelf life. Some commonly made pickles such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled cucumbers, and their juice is rich in sodium. As per this info, one small pickled cucumber retains around 448 mg of sodium while an ounce of pickle juice contains 900 mg.
They pick up a lot of sodium because they sit in the can for too long and it’s hard to get rid of all the excess sodium they have picked.
You may avoid eating pickles or you can try replacing salted pickles by adding vinegar or citrus juice like pineapple juice as a marinade.
Caffeine
Caffeine activates your adrenal gland and stimulates the release of adrenaline making you feel energetic after downing a cup of coffee.
It could temporarily increase your blood pressure and the blood rushes through your vessels.
Some research studies indicate that it also acts by blocking a hormone required for keeping your vessels wide.
Thus, the vessels constrict and the diameter decreases, increasing the pressure in them.
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