5 foods that will help lower hypertension

High blood pressure or hypertension has a lot of harmful effects on your body, and you might not even know the symptoms. But here are the foods that you can have to keep the numbers in check.

You all know what high blood pressure is, and for the uninitiated, in simple words, it's the pressure with which blood flows in your artery walls. And with time, the higher rate of flow might cause the blood vessel to damage and lead to heart diseases, stroke, kidney problems among other things.

And you, probably by now, also know that a diet low in sodium and rich in foods containing potassium, calcium and magnesium has the ability to prevent or help normalise the numbers. But do you know what specific foods to consume that can have helpful effects? Here's your guide

Berries: Yes, they are super effective. And especially blueberries, which are rich in compounds called flavonoids. One study did find that flavonoids might prevent hypertension and help lower blood pressure levels. Blueberries, and other berries can easily be added in your diet.

Beetroot: Beetroot is another food item that's effective in lowering blood pressure due to high content of nitric oxide in them. Nitric oxide helps open up the blood vessels and lower blood pressure. In one research, it was found that the nitrates in beetroot juice lowered participants' blood pressure within 24 hours.

Flaxseeds: Eating these seeds have been linked to a reduction in both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure over a period of six months in people with hypertension, according to a study published in the journal Hypertension. These four compounds alpha linolenic acid, lignans, peptides and fibre are believed to be the reason for lowered blood pressure.

Chocolate: Especially dark chocolate, with 70 per cent cocoa, are rich in flavanols have been known to reduce blood pressure, according to a 2010 meta-analysis in BMC Medicine. Many other researches have also shown that polyphenols (especially flavanols) in cocoa products are associated with the formation of nitric oxide that helps keep blood pressure in check.

Pistachios: A study published in the journal Hypertension looked at pistachio consumption and blood pressure and found that individuals with high LDL cholesterol, who ate one or two servings of pistachios daily for four weeks saw a lower systolic blood pressure. It was thought that pistachio nuts may reduce constriction of peripheral blood vessels to have positive effect on blood pressure.

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