25 Best Fruits to Lower Blood Pressure & Maintain a Healthy Diet (2024)

  • High Blood Pressure (BP)
    • What Is High Blood Pressure?
  • 25 Fruits for Lowering BP
    • What Foods Lower Blood Pressure?
  • Lifestyle Changes
    • What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Lower High Blood Pressure?
  • Medications
    • What Medications Are Used to Lower Blood Pressure?
  • Guide

What Is High Blood Pressure?

25 Best Fruits to Lower Blood Pressure & Maintain a Healthy Diet (2)

A healthy diet can help you manage high blood pressure, including eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition in which the force of blood pumping through the arteries is consistently too high. When this occurs, the walls of the arteries are extended beyond their normal limit, which can lead to damage and scarring and put people at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers:

  • Systolic blood pressure (the first/top number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats
  • Diastolic blood pressure (the second/bottom number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats

High, elevated, and normal blood pressure is usually defined in the following ranges:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension) is 140/90 mmHg or more
  • Elevated blood pressure levels between 120/80 and 139/89 are considered prehypertension and mean a person is at higher risk for developing high blood pressure
  • Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg

What Foods Lower Blood Pressure?

Diet changes are part of managing high blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include:

  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Apricots
  • Grapes
  • Raisins
  • Kiwis
  • Mangoes
  • Watermelon
  • Pomegranate
  • Plums
  • Prunes
  • Avocado
  • Cantaloupe
  • Honeydew melon
  • Tomatoes
  • Citrus fruits
    • Oranges
    • Lemons
    • Grapefruit
      • Note: grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with some blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor before consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
  • Berries
    • Blueberries
    • Raspberries
    • Blackberries
    • Strawberries
    • Aronia berries (also called chokeberries)
    • Cloudberries

What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Lower High Blood Pressure?

Lifestyle changes are typically the first-line treatment for hypertension, such as:

  • Eating a balanced diet that low in salt
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Exercising regularly
  • Limiting or avoiding alcohol
  • Managing stress
  • Not smoking
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Taking medications as directed

What Medications Are Used to Lower Blood Pressure?

When medications are needed to treat hypertension, they may include:

  • ACE inhibitors
  • Angiotensin II antagonists (ARBs)
  • Beta-blockers
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Diuretics (“water pills”)
  • Centrally-acting alpha adrenergics
  • Peripherally acting alpha-adrenergic blockers
  • Vasodilators
  • Renin inhibitors
  • Combination medicines, made up of two or more different kinds of blood pressure medicines

References

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/eating-more-fruit-may-help-lower-blood-pressure
https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/25/6/640/160387
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22648092/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11906-004-0007-7
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21409897/
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/high-blood-pressure-medicines-help-you
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5974099/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4857880/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628116/

25 Best Fruits to Lower Blood Pressure & Maintain a Healthy Diet (2024)

FAQs

25 Best Fruits to Lower Blood Pressure & Maintain a Healthy Diet? ›

Make at least one of your daily vegetable servings a dark leafy green like arugula, cabbage, kale or spinach for potentially greater blood pressure benefits. A serving of leafy greens is 1 cup of raw greens or ½ cup cooked greens.

What is the single best food to lower blood pressure? ›

Here are the 17 best foods for high blood pressure.
  1. Citrus fruit. Citrus fruits may help lower blood pressure. ...
  2. Salmon and other fatty fish. Fatty fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which have significant heart benefits. ...
  3. Leafy greens. ...
  4. Nuts and seeds. ...
  5. Legumes. ...
  6. Berries. ...
  7. Amaranth. ...
  8. Olive oil.
Jun 20, 2023

What is the number one vegetable to lower blood pressure? ›

Make at least one of your daily vegetable servings a dark leafy green like arugula, cabbage, kale or spinach for potentially greater blood pressure benefits. A serving of leafy greens is 1 cup of raw greens or ½ cup cooked greens.

What is the best drink in the morning for high blood pressure? ›

There are a range of drinks that may help lower a person's blood pressure in the morning. If a person with hypertension usually drinks coffee or sugary juice in the morning, it may be beneficial for them to swap it for beetroot juice, unsalted tomato juice, green tea, or unsweetened pomegranate juice.

Do bananas lower your blood pressure? ›

The Bottom Line. Bananas are a nutritious and tasty option for helping lower blood pressure. Loaded with essential nutrients like potassium, fiber and vitamin C, bananas offer several benefits for cardiovascular health. Their potassium content counterbalances sodium intake, promoting blood vessel relaxation.

What is the number one fruit to lower blood pressure? ›

The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.

What is the number 1 drink to lower blood pressure? ›

The top drinks for lowering blood pressure include water, fruit juices (pomegranate, prune, cranberry, cherry), vegetable juice (tomato, raw beet), tea (black, green), and skim milk.

What is the 60 second trick to lower blood pressure? ›

A 60-second trick to lower blood pressure immediately is to take a deep breath and try to relax. Stress and anxiety can raise your blood pressure, so taking a moment to calm down can help lower it. Learn breath exercises that slow your heart rate and promote relaxation. Drink some water.

Does lemon water bring your blood pressure down? ›

Helps Reduce Blood Pressure

The potassium found in lemon juice can also help diminish the effects of salt on blood pressure. Studies have shown that, when combined with daily walks, lemon intake can be an effective treatment for high blood pressure.

What exercise lowers blood pressure the most? ›

What's the best exercise to fight hypertension, also known as high blood pressure? According to a recent study: bridges, planks, squats, and other isometric exercises. “Controlling and preventing the development of high blood pressure is a critical pillar of overall health,” says cardiologist Arun Manmadhan, MD.

What not to drink with high blood pressure? ›

Watch out for added sugars in sweetened beverages such as energy drinks, regular sodas, and flavored teas, which may increase blood pressure and heart disease risk.

What can I take immediately for low blood pressure? ›

Your doctor may prescribe medications to help treat low blood pressure. These drugs help to treat orthostatic hypotension: fludrocortisone, which helps to raise blood volume. midodrine (Orvaten), which helps to narrow blood vessels to raise blood pressure.

How do I get my blood pressure down asap? ›

Tricks to Lower Blood Pressure Instantly
  1. Meditate or focus on deep breathing. Meditation and breathing exercises can help you relax, which slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure.
  2. Reduce your stress levels. ...
  3. Take a warm bath or shower.

What is the quickest home remedy for low blood pressure? ›

Natural remedies
  1. Eat more salt. Contrary to popular advice, low sodium diets are not suitable for everyone with blood pressure problems. ...
  2. Avoid alcoholic beverages. ...
  3. Discuss medications with a doctor. ...
  4. Cross legs while sitting. ...
  5. Drink water. ...
  6. Eat small meals frequently. ...
  7. Wear compression stockings. ...
  8. Avoid sudden position changes.

What is the number one food that causes high blood pressure? ›

Salty foods. High sodium consumption can elevate blood pressure. Many people eat too much sodium without realizing it. Highly processed foods and fast foods usually contain excessive amounts of sodium, often more than the 2,300 milligrams a person should consume daily.

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