High blood pressure, or hypertension, is what happens when the pressure in your blood vessels becomes too high. High blood pressure can result in a heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation (Afib), kidney damage, valve failure, and so on. There are some treatments that can help with these issues, such as a valve replacement, or preventative measures like a pacemaker or ECG machine to keep track of heart rate or electrical activity. High blood pressure is caused by factors like not exercising, diabetes, obesity, and even the food you consume. Here are some foods that increase blood pressure:
1. Salty foods
Foods with excess salts, like salted crackers, chips, jerky’s, and nuts are no good for those with high blood pressure. You should try to consume foods with low-sodium, and if you find yourself craving those crunchy, salty snacks, try popping your own plain popcorn and adding spices as opposed to salt.
2. Fried foods
Fried foods, like donuts, onion rings, and egg rolls might be delicious, but they contain an abundance of saturated fat and sodium—two things that should be avoided with high blood pressure. As an alternative, you should grill or bake foods, but if you still desire that crunch, air fryers are an excellent alternative.
3. Canned goods
Canned goods, in particular canned soup, are huge offenders of high sodium levels. They have such high levels in order to maintain shelf-life and preserve flavor, but it all goes right into your body. As mentioned, high salt in food is very bad for your blood pressure. Try making a homemade low-sodium soup—it’ll be tastier and more healthy!
4. Caffeine
Caffeine is found in drinks like coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, and more, and this compound is known to increase blood pressure. It is advisable to reduce or remove caffeine intake—luckily there are many decaf options for your favorite drinks!
5. Alcohol
Alcohol when consumed in moderation can actually lower blood pressure, but overconsumption leads to a huge spike. More than 3 drinks in one sitting is sure to increase blood pressure, and if this is a regular occurance, this can result in lasting issues with blood pressure. Additionally, if you take blood pressure medication, alcohol can interact badly with certain kinds—be sure to talk to your doctor.
If you have high blood pressure, you should speak to a medical professional about developing a diet that works for you. It is well known that the above mentioned foods are offenders for high blood pressure, so in order to manage this and maintain good health, you should reduce or eliminate intake and eat a more well-rounded diet including fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, fish, and more.
