10 Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure with a Low Sodium Diet
If you have high blood pressure, you’re not alone. In fact, one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure, and a full one in five has prehypertension (i.e., blood pressure that’s higher than normal but not high enough to be considered high). If you have high blood pressure, it can lead to stroke, heart attack and other health problems down the road. Fortunately, you can reduce your risk by eating right and getting active. A low sodium diet can help with both these aspects of healthy living.
1) Substitute
The relationship between your blood pressure and the foods you eat is really interesting. Some foods can help lower your blood pressure while others will raise it. One way to lower blood pressure through diet is by limiting or eliminating sodium. This can be done by avoiding processed, packaged and fast food. Another way to lower blood pressure through diet is by eating more potassium-rich foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and dairy products. Foods that are rich in potassium include bananas, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and pears among many others. Potassium has been shown in clinical studies to help people achieve healthy levels of high blood pressure by helping the kidneys release more sodium from the body into urine. For example, one study found that adults who ate just one banana a day for three months had an average drop of 4 mm Hg in their systolic blood pressure without making any other changes to their diet. Bananas have also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure when eaten before consuming salt-laden snack foods such as pretzels or chips. Eating bananas along with these salty snacks reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 7 mm Hg after just six weeks! For those on salt-restricted diets, it's important to consult your doctor before adding additional potassium sources like fruit juices and dried fruit. It may not be safe for people with certain conditions like kidney disease, heart failure or diabetes. However, it is worth discussing this option with your physician because some research suggests that increasing potassium intake may actually help improve outcomes in these populations. If you're not sure what to eat on a low sodium diet, here are 10 great options:
One serving of lentils = 188 mg sodium
One serving of beans = 125 mg sodium
One serving of oatmeal = 150 mg sodium
2) Cook in Bulk
Cooking in bulk is an excellent strategy for reducing the sodium content of your meals and will also help you control portion sizes. It may seem time-consuming at first, but as you get into the habit, you'll find that it will take up less time than cooking multiple meals separately. Plus, if you do some meal prepping beforehand, all it takes is reheating your low sodium food on weekdays!
What are your favorite low sodium recipes? We would love to hear from you! Please share your favorite low sodium recipes with us in the comments below. We're always looking for new ideas to add to our website! We'd love to hear what you think about adding this low sodium recipe: Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
To make this dish, peel 2 medium sized potatoes. Dice 1/2 onion and 3 cloves garlic (you can use less or more depending on how garlicky you like your dishes). Place potatoes in a casserole dish coated with oil or butter, then season with salt (1/4 teaspoon) and pepper (1/8 teaspoon). Add onions and garlic to the dish. Pour 4 cups of water over top of everything else and cover with foil; bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove foil during last 20 minutes so potatoes can brown evenly on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. The total amount of sodium per serving is 143 mg. If you have high blood pressure, consider eating no more than 100 mg of sodium daily. When you cook in bulk, the amount of preparation work is distributed throughout many servings. Once your food has been cooked and seasoned, it's ready to be stored until your next meal! Simply remove portions from the oven after one hour and let them cool for a few minutes before transferring them to containers. In general, plan ahead by making enough servings to feed yourself for two days or two weeks. If there's any leftovers when you go back for seconds, store them for later consumption in freezer bags with labels detailing their contents' contents and date prepared. You might want to keep these foods away from raw meats, since bacteria could grow in these frozen items. Take out the desired amount of food on a plate and nuke it for 45 seconds to thaw it out. Use caution when reheating low sodium foods because they could easily become too salty once heated again. A handy trick is to stir boiling water into your dish before microwaving it; this prevents the food from overcooking while still giving off a delicious flavor!
3) Don’t use so much water when boiling vegetables, etc.
Consider making the following changes to your diet:
-Rather than seasoning your food with salt, use fresh herbs and spices.
-Limit use of soy sauce, pepper and other salty condiments.
-Instead of eating fried foods, try steaming or baking your foods in olive oil.
-Avoid processed snacks and instead indulge in nutritious ones like raisins, sunflower seeds or almonds. -Replace salt when cooking rice and pasta by using flavor enhancers like vinegar, lemon juice or cinnamon sticks instead.
-Save salt for salad dressings by pairing them only with low sodium oils such as canola or sesame oils. -Use herbal teas as an alternative to coffee and tea.
-Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes to make up for the lack of sodium in your diet. -If you are worried about having too much potassium in your diet, avoid bananas and choose citrus fruit instead.
-Stay away from canned goods that are high in sodium such as soups, canned vegetables and pickles.
4) Ditch the salt shaker
One of the quickest ways to lower your blood pressure is by ditching the salt shaker. By only seasoning foods that need it, you will eliminate most of the salt in your diet and see benefits as soon as two weeks later. You should also try to avoid packaged, processed foods that contain added sodium like ketchup, barbecue sauce and breakfast cereals. When you can't avoid these products, read the nutrition label carefully because these are usually high in sodium. Finally, don't hesitate when ordering takeout or restaurant food - just ask them for dishes without added salt! If they're not sure what's low-sodium, call ahead to make sure they have something that will work for you. Just remember, there's no way around salt if you're cooking at home so get creative with spices (think herbs, garlic and pepper) to satisfy your taste buds! A few more tips to help lower your blood pressure: Drink plenty of water each day Cut back on alcohol consumption (alcohol is salty!) Keep track of what you eat through an app like MyFitnessPal Exercise regularly
5) Choose frozen foods over canned or jarred products
When deciding on vegetables and fruit, the fresh is best. When you have time, choose frozen or canned over jarred. Jarred products often contain added salt that may not be included in the ingredients list. Plus, canned items might contain heavy metals like mercury. Frozen veggies are always safe because they're flash-frozen at their peak ripeness to lock in flavor and nutrients so they'll never be old or flavorless. If it's too much of a hassle to buy fresh produce every week, try making your own sauces by adding lemon juice or lime juice to your favorite low sodium recipes. It's also important for people with high blood pressure (HBP) to pay attention to how much potassium they eat per day: potassium helps balance fluids in your body and decrease blood pressure. Most frozen fruits can also be eaten without any preparation since they're packaged as whole pieces of fruit, including juice and peelings.
After peeling your favorite low sodium vegetable, store the skins in water (save the juices!) to make vegetable broth for soups and sauces without adding any additional salt! The skin still contains most of the nutrition from a vegetable while giving your dish some extra flavor too.
Now that you know how easy it is to cook a low sodium meal, give these tips a try this week! To start, cut up an onion and sauté until caramelized then add celery and garlic before cooking until fragrant. Add mushrooms next followed by baby spinach leaves, thyme sprigs, basil leaves, salt free seasoning blend, pepper flakes and crushed red pepper to taste. Next add 1/2 cup soy sauce then pour in 3 cups unsalted chicken stock. Saute mixture for about 10 minutes before stirring in 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water. Bring soup back to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes more before serving sprinkled with chopped parsley if desired. Make sure to keep servings below 500 mg per day to see results. Eating meals lower in sodium can help prevent chronic health problems, reduce risk of stroke and heart attack, and improve quality of life. Keeping tabs on the amount of potassium you eat per day will help balance fluids in your body and decrease blood pressure. Potassium does not need to be limited solely to fruit either; there are many different foods which contain significant amounts, such as beans and peas which pack a punch with 370mg each serving. And lastly, staying hydrated throughout the day will benefit everyone but especially those who suffer from HBP due to fluid retention caused by insufficient intake. Drinking enough water will aid digestion, promote bowel regularity and prevent constipation which can lead to HBP complications due to buildup within the intestines.
6) Swap, Swap, Swap
Food is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to lower your blood pressure naturally. Beating high blood pressure starts by following these simple steps that can help lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular conditions:
1. Cut down on sodium in your diet. Americans eat too much salt in general (3,400 mg per day), but if you're over 50 and African American, you need to cut back even more. High blood2. Eat less refined carbohydrates like white breads and pasta. Avoid processed foods that contain high levels of salt and sugar.
3. Stop smoking cigarettes and stay away from secondhand smoke as well as alcohol consumption since it also increases the risk for hypertension in women who drink alcohol four or more times per week4. Exercise regularly. It's been shown that regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure. If you don't already exercise regularly, start slowly and increase intensity gradually over time. Check out this blog post for tips on starting an exercise routine5. Lose weight6. Reduce stress7. Get enough sleep8. Monitor your alcohol intake9. Watch what you eat - try not to add salt when cooking or at the table10. Manage any underlying medical condition such as diabetes
7) Eat slow cooker meals
A slow cooker recipe can be an easy way to prepare low sodium meals at home. This makes it even easier by also including the recipe below. Simply throw everything in and let it cook on low all day or set the timer on high for six hours. The only prep work is chopping the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and stirring together all of the spices beforehand. Feel free to adjust the amounts of each if you like more spice or saltiness. You can use this as a guide but make sure to taste your food before adding any additional seasoning. You want to avoid consuming too much sodium, so go slowly until you find the right amount for your palate. If you have any questions about the ingredients or how long to cook them, feel free to email me at Enjoy!
Making recipes that are meant to be slow cooked allows you to still eat warm, fresh-cooked food without using a lot of sodium. If you don’t own a slow cooker, they typically cost between $20 and $60 USD depending on brand and features such as digital timers or temperature control settings. Amazon has quite a few popular ones ranging from $19 USD to $69 USD . However, there are plenty of recipes out there that don’t require them; instead they are meant for dishes such as soups , chili , stews , and curry s that don’t need hours upon hours of cooking time. That being said, you should always check the instructions for whatever dish you're making. While many people will argue that convenience foods (such as instant rice) are never worth it due to their poor nutritional content, they can be useful when trying to lower your sodium intake. And sometimes you just want some comfort food. Instant oatmeal packets, boxed macaroni and cheese , canned soup (watch the labels), instant mashed potatoes, and boxed mashed potatoes with milk are other ways to get some quick hot food while avoiding excess sodium. Remember though: these products may contain some sodium as well as other additives like sugar or preservatives so be mindful of what you buy and consume regularly. Additionally, be aware of how much packaging you end up throwing away. Ideally, aim to purchase less packaging containing your food since most disposable containers come with harmful chemicals and additives. Instead try switching to reusable items like glass containers or Tupperware
to store leftovers or snacks. Better yet, meal plan and purchase groceries weekly so you know exactly what's going into your family's mouths! But now onto my favorite part - recipes ! What follows are 10 tasty ideas for both breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert - all made with less than 100 mg of sodium per serving! Risotto with low sodium vegetable broth and a squeeze of lemon. You can add any vegetables you like or use chicken, beef, or shrimp for some protein.
Breakfast Burrito. Fill a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, low sodium black beans, and grated zucchini then wrap it up tightly to hold it all together. Heat the burrito in the microwave for one minute or until heated through.
Vegetable Curry Soup. This recipe includes eggplant, cauliflower, green beans, yellow squash, mushrooms and chickpeas along with assorted herbs and spices to create a richly flavored soup that’s filling enough to be your entire meal!
8) Use herbs and spices instead of salt
The main spice that you should be using in lieu of salt is cumin. Cumin has been shown to lower blood pressure. Curry powder and smoked paprika are other spices that can replace salt as well. If you want to take it one step further, replace regular soy sauce with low sodium soy sauce or try using ginger instead of soy sauce. In order to combat the crave for salty foods, try dipping your food in vinegar or lemon juice before eating. You could also mix some herbs like oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, parsley and dill together to make an herb mixture that can replace salt. Lastly, there are many different recipes out there that have all sorts of different flavors without adding salt such as this recipe for Italian Rice Casserole. from Cooking Light. It features fresh garlic, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, mushrooms and diced onion. There are so many different ways to add flavor without adding salt which will keep you on track with lowering your blood pressure. Remember to always watch how much added salt you put into your food because too much can lead to hypertension.
9) Find a dietary balance that works for you
A low sodium diet is not just about cutting back on the salt. Avoiding foods with added salt and eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein can also reduce your risk of high blood pressure.
While different dietary plans work for different people, these 10 simple ways should help you find balance. You may even be able to reduce your need for prescription medications because of it! 1) Watch how much sugar you eat: Sugars found in natural sources like fruit are better than those found in processed foods like cookies. The body needs sugar to function properly, but too much can cause an increase in blood pressure. Cutting down on sugar intake is an easy way to reduce hypertension risks that have nothing to do with food choices. 2) Eat less salt:
3) Eat plenty of potassium rich foods: Foods rich in potassium will counteract the effects of sodium. Some good examples include potatoes, bananas, citrus fruits, tomatoes and dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale. 4) Drink more water: Drinking enough water every day can help lower blood pressure by flushing out excess salt from your system. Most people don't drink enough so make sure you drink 8 glasses each day at least to stay hydrated! 5) Cut back on alcohol consumption: Too much alcohol has been shown to lead to elevated blood pressure levels so limit yourself when possible or consume only one drink per day if you're going to indulge. Alcohol can also contain a lot of calories and empty carbs which are best avoided in order to maintain a healthy weight. 6) Limit your caffeine intake: High doses of caffeine have been linked to increased blood pressure, so cutting back will naturally improve this number. 7) Stop smoking cigarettes: If you smoke regularly, your blood pressure is likely higher than someone who doesn't smoke. Smoking releases nicotine into the bloodstream which constricts blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure levels. 8) Exercise regularly: Regular exercise helps keep weight under control and improves heart health overall so make time for it no matter what! Even small changes such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator once a day can lead to big results over time. Physical activity also releases endorphins which can have a calming effect on the nervous system. 9) Keep up social connections: Keeping in touch with friends and family through phone calls, text messages or visits reduces stress levels and increases happiness. Social isolation has been linked to elevated blood pressure so staying connected is important for maintaining good mental health as well. 10) Sleep well: Sleeping seven hours per night helps keep our bodies functioning properly and regulating hormones appropriately. Not getting enough sleep often leads to increased stress hormones which elevate blood pressure long term.
10) Go organic if you can
The reduced intake of sodium in an organic diet can make it easier for those who need to reduce their salt intake. If you think you may have high blood pressure, start by reading your food labels and take note of how much sodium is in the foods you are eating. Eating too much salt on a regular basis puts strain on your heart and increases your risk for developing cardiovascular diseases or kidney disease as well as swelling in the extremities. All of these conditions can also lead to higher blood pressure.
To maintain low sodium levels while following an organic diet, focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats instead of high-sodium processed foods such as canned soups and boxed dinners. You can also use spices like basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, garlic powder, cinnamon and nutmeg to flavor foods without adding any additional salt. You'll be surprised at how many recipes you find that don't call for added salt once you get started cooking more fresh dishes. I love this recipe because it's quick and easy and has so many nutritious ingredients!
Grilled Chicken Kebabs
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon dried dill weed 1 tablespoon onion powder 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt & Pepper
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