High Blood Pressure Vegetables and Fruits, An Important Part of the Antihypertensive Diet

Hypertension sufferers can still manage their blood pressure without taking drugs. Applying a healthy lifestyle, especially in your daily diet can reduce blood pressure naturally.

Some people who have hypertension often do not realize that they suffer from the disease, until they feel certain symptoms. The good news, the risk of hypertension can be minimized by eating blood pressure-lowering vegetables and fruits. Both are important parts of a blood pressure diet or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). This diet consists of various types of healthy foods, such as nuts, fish, poultry and low-fat milk.

Applying a High Blood Pressure Diet

You can apply a high blood pressure-lowering diet by consuming the following types of food:

1. Varied staple foods

Basic food should be served in small portions, as much as 7-8 servings a day. The choice of staple foods can be varied, such as rice, pasta, or whole wheat bread.

2. Vegetate as much as 4-5 servings every day

Consume vegetables for 4-5 servings a day. Estimated one serving is one bowl of raw vegetables that have been cleaned or half a bowl of cooked vegetables.

3. Fruit that varies from fresh fruit, juice, or dried fruit

Just like vegetables, consume fruit 4-5 servings a day. You can choose between half a cup of fresh fruit, one medium-sized whole fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit, or a glass of fruit juice.

4. Lean red meat, poultry, or fish

Beef, poultry and fish can be consumed in two servings per day. Make sure you choose lean meat for consumption.

5. Milk or processed low-fat milk every day

A cup of yogurt, a glass of milk, or 2-3 pieces of cheese can be an ideal choice to accompany a blood pressure-lowering diet. You can divide the portion into 2-3 times the consumption in a day.

6. Raw or cooked beans

Take nuts for 4-5 servings per week. Each serving can contain 1/3 cup of raw beans or half a cup of cooked beans.

7. Vegetable oil or margarine is used limitedly

Vegetable oil or margarine should be used a maximum of 2-3 servings per day. You can choose to use vegetable oil, margarine, or low-fat mayonnaise, to mix in food.

8. Sweet foods consumed are not excessive

We recommend limiting sweet foods to less than 5 servings a week. Try in each dish not to contain more than 1 tablespoon of sugar.

In addition to applying the diet above, you are also encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, quitting smoking, reducing consumption of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, limiting foods that are high in salt, and managing stress well.

In addition, do not forget to routinely control the doctor, so that health conditions and the development of hypertension can continue to be monitored, and given treatment if necessary.

Reviewed by: dr. Allert Benedicto Ieuan Noya

Reference

Challa, H.J., & Uppaluri, K, R ,. NCBI (2018). DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. DASH Eating Plan.
Mayo Clinic (2016). Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition and Healthy Eating. DASH Diet: Healthy Eating to Lower Your Blood Pressure.
Harvard Medical School (2010). Beating High Blood Pressure With Food.
WebMD (2018). High Blood Pressure Diet.