High Blood Pressure: Study Reveals One Essential Food Item That Could Lower Its Level

High blood pressure is a common problem among men and women of today. While an unhealthy lifestyle plays an essential role in increasing the risk, there is one food item that could help you lower it to reach optimum levels.

Patients suffer from high blood pressure whenever the blood that pushes against the walls of the blood vessels is too high. Symptoms of high blood pressure include severe headache, confusion, vision problems, light-headedness, and chest pain. There are times when a person will not experience any of these symptoms, but his blood pressure is already off the charts.

In Express’ report, the best way to detect whether you are suffering from high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure reading. There are available home devices that can automatically read blood pressure without the assistance of a general practitioner. However, doctors regularly recommend being on the lookout when it comes to your dietary intake.

One food item that has gained the consensus of many physicians as a reliable food to lower blood pressure is potassium. This mineral is essential in ensuring that all body processes are functioning optimally. It prevents serious health complications and also balances the detrimental effect of salt on the body. With regards to the organ that must perform ideally is the kidney since it also controls the amount of fluid that the body stores.

Some of the foods that are rich in potassium include bananas, tomato juices, spinach, and asparagus. Eggs, almonds, and tuna are also excellent sources of potassium.

There is one caveat though, if you are in the process of lowering your blood pressure, better lessen your consumption of potatoes. A Harvard Medical School Research found that reducing the intake of potatoes helps in lowering blood pressure.

The study involved 187,000 men and women. They compared the group who had less than a single serving of mashed or baked potatoes in one month, with those who enjoy four or more servings in just a week.

Those who consumed at least four servings in a week had an 11% higher risk for high blood pressure. For French fries lovers, it was a staggering 17%. As with those who consumed less than one serving in a week, had a lower risk.

As a good rule of thumb, it would be best to consume those that could lower blood pressure, such as potassium-rich foods. Those that are known to increase blood pressure must be avoided.