High blood pressure can be very dangerous but not everyone knows how to avoid it. It is a chronic, uncontrolled disease that can lead to heart failure and kidney failure. Besides treatment, there are certain foods that may reduce the chances of you suffering from the disease, which has been nicknamed the "silent killer".
Prof. Gunther Connelly, a nutritionist from the University of Reading in the UK, said that "Blueberries, apples and green tea contain all the flavonols (antioxidant components that are found in the plant and protect its cells) and there is fairly good evidence that they can reduce blood pressure , although it depends on the amount."
apples
Apples are rich in flavonols, which have been shown to be beneficial for heart health.
Dr Duane Mellor, a dietician at Aston University in Birmingham, said: "These flavonol compounds help our arteries to relax, improving something called endothelial function which helps our blood vessels to respond better to stress and lower our risk of heart disease. This happens when flavonols support the production of nitric oxide and when we produce it in our bodies at the right levels it helps to maintain our health."
Apples (Photo: Inimage)Blueberries
Blueberries are considered a "super-food" that helps raise the levels of nitric oxide in the blood, widen the arteries and reduce the load on the heart.
Dr. Mellor stated that "in clinical trials it has been proven that extracts from foods such as wild blueberries improve blood vessel health and even lower blood pressure."
Blueberries (Photo: Ingimage)nuts
Nuts are a food that must be a central part of any balanced diet. They're an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3s and unsaturated fats – but make sure you choose the unsalted types if you're worried about your blood pressure.
Nuts are an excellent source of a variety of nutrients that help lower blood pressure, with walnuts in particular being shown to reduce systolic blood pressure. Walnuts contain both alpha linoleic acid and arginine, which have been shown to be positive for relaxing and opening the arteries and have a positive effect on blood pressure.
Nuts (Photo: Ingimage)green tea
Green tea is full of nutrients, including flavonols.
Studies have shown that consumption of green tea helps lower blood pressure due to the polyphenolic compounds in it. These compounds stimulate the production of nitric oxide which is able to widen the arteries and reduce blood pressure.
Green tea (Photo: Ingeimage)Avocado
Avocados are an excellent source of unsaturated fats, which studies show can help lower blood pressure.
Professor Tom Sanders, Emeritus Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at King's College London, said reducing salt and alcohol intake was key to maintaining healthy blood pressure.
"For people with high blood pressure, I would recommend focusing on reducing salt intake, moderate alcohol consumption, weight maintenance and a balanced diet containing five servings of fruits and vegetables a day," Sanders noted.
Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation said: "Adopting an active and healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, avoiding smoking and maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."
According to her, "All fruits and vegetables are good for the heart and the circulatory system, but no fruit or vegetable provides all the nutrients you need to be healthy. Make sure your plate is full of vegetables and fruits of all colors and that way you will eat a nutritious variety."
