High Blood Pressure Diet

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where the force of blood against arterial blood vessels is persistently elevated. High blood pressure affects millions of people worldwide. It is a severe medical condition that can lead to life-threatening complications, including stroke, heart attack, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease.

Blood pressure is defined by two measurements: systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure represents the pressure exerted by the heart when it contracts, while diastolic pressure is the pressure exerted on blood vessels when the heart relaxes. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), and the readings are always given in pairs, with the systolic pressure first followed by the diastolic pressure. For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100-120 mmHg for systolic pressure and 60-80 mmHg for diastolic pressure. High blood pressure is typically diagnosed if the resting blood pressure is persistently above 130/80 mmHg, based on the most recent American and European guidelines. 

High blood pressure is generally not accompanied by symptoms, which is why it is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Instead, high blood pressure gradually causes wear and tear on the endothelial cells that line the  blood vessels, increasing the risk of end-organ damage over time. Though hypertension doesn’t typically cause symptoms, individuals may develop hypertensive crises, which are episodes of extremely high blood pressure (i.e., greater than 180/120, with end-organ damage)  that might involve confusion, visual disturbances, chest pain, or breathlessness.

The first choice for the treatment of hypertension is lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, exercise, and stress reduction techniques. In addition, various antihypertensive medications may be given in cases where lifestyle changes are not enough to control blood pressure.

A high blood pressure diet limits the intake of sweets, added sugars, and saturated fats, including pies, baked goods, candy bars, ice cream, fruit juice, and other sugary drinks (e.g., sports, energy, and soft drinks). Fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, palm oils, and other low-nutritional foods, like processed foods and alcoholic beverages, may also be avoided. 

In addition to a healthy diet, individuals with high blood pressure are advised to limit their salt intake to less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which can be achieved by eating less packaged or processed foods, which are the main source of added salt in today’s diet. It is important to read food labels to choose foods that are lower in sodium, as salt is added to the manufacturing process of all sorts of foods, including bread, cereals, sandwiches, cured meats, canned soups, savory snacks, cheese, and salad dressings, among many others. As a general rule, foods that contain less than 0.3 grams of salt (or 0.1 grams of sodium) per 100 grams are considered low in sodium, whereas foods with over 1.5 grams of salt (or 0.6 grams of sodium) per 100 grams have a high sodium content and should be best avoided.