High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is very common in older adults. It can make the heart work too hard, damage blood vessels, and raise the risk of serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.
Many people take medicine to manage high blood pressure. But what you eat also plays a big role in keeping your blood pressure under control. Some foods can actually make your blood pressure worse, so it’s important to know which ones to avoid.
One of the biggest causes of high blood pressure is eating too much salt. Salt contains sodium, and too much sodium makes your body hold on to water. This extra water makes your blood volume go up, which puts more pressure on your blood vessels.
The World Health Organization says people should eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. That’s about one teaspoon of salt. But many people eat more than this without even knowing it. This is because a lot of sodium is hidden in packaged and processed foods.
Canned soups, frozen meals, deli meats, and chips often have a lot of salt to make them last longer and taste better. Even foods like bread and cereal, which don’t taste salty, can contain a surprising amount of sodium.
Sugar is another thing to watch out for. Eating too much sugar can make you gain weight, and being overweight makes high blood pressure harder to control. Drinks like soda, sweet tea, and energy drinks are full of added sugars and can be harmful.
Studies show that people who eat a lot of added sugar are more likely to have high blood pressure. A good way to help your heart is to drink water, unsweetened tea, or herbal drinks instead of sugary ones.
Fried and fatty foods are also a problem. They often contain unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats. These fats can clog your arteries and raise your cholesterol, making it harder for blood to flow. When that happens, your blood pressure can go up.
Foods to avoid include fried chicken, french fries, fast food, and baked goods like donuts and pastries. Instead, try eating healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, and fish.
Processed meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and salami are bad for blood pressure too. They are high in salt and often contain chemicals called nitrates, which may also raise blood pressure. A large study showed that people who ate more processed meat had higher blood pressure than those who didn’t.
A better choice is to eat fresh, lean proteins like chicken, turkey, tofu, or beans.
Drinking too much alcohol can also raise your blood pressure. A little alcohol might be okay—like one drink per day for women and two for men—but too much can be harmful. Alcohol can also affect how your blood pressure medicine works, so talk to your doctor about what’s safe for you.
In short, if you want to keep your blood pressure healthy, try to stay away from salty, sugary, and fatty foods, as well as processed meats and too much alcohol. Instead, eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
These small changes can help you stay healthy, protect your heart, and feel better every day.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
