10 Sweet Foods that Lower Blood Pressure

If you’re worried about hypertension, you may think that sweet foods are off the menu, but that’s not completely true. These are some sweet foods that actually help lower your blood pressure.

You may have had high blood pressure for years without knowing it. High blood pressure or hypertension does not have easy-to-spot symptoms, so get your blood pressure levels tested regularly, to be safe.

SWEET FOODS THAT LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

While it’s impossible to control high blood pressure risk factors such as age, gender, race, and genetics, you can improve your blood pressure using diet and exercise. You can even lower your blood pressure and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time by eating more of the foods below.

1. Berries

Remember to buy berries the next time you go shopping. They contain flavonoids, which help prevent high blood pressure, according to research.

Snack on blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries regularly. Note that berries can contain high pesticide residue, so it is safer to buy organic.

2. Dark Chocolate

If you usually avoid chocolate in order keep your heart healthy, you are doing the right thing. Increased intake of milk chocolate has been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. 

However, not all chocolate is bad. Research shows that dark chocolate that contains 50 to 70 percent cocoa can actually help lower your blood pressure.

3. Mangoes

Don’t feel guilty when munching on this sweet fruit. It contains beta-carotene, which lowers blood pressure. Add mangoes to your smoothies or eat them as they are. Mangoes also offer many other health benefits.

4. Bananas

Bananas are one of those foods you should eat every day. According to the American Heart Association, bananas regulate blood pressure due to their high potassium levels.

5. Watermelon

Watermelon will do more than keep you cool during the hot summer season. Researchers at Florida State University say that this fruit can prevent hypertension, thanks to a compound called L-citrulline. The researchers also say that taking L-citrulline in the synthetic form of pills can help lower blood pressure.

Try this whole fruit, sugar-free Watermelon Agua Fresca to sneak more watermelon into your day!

6. Pomegranate

I don’t find raw pomegranate sweet but I enjoy pomegranate juice. If you’re the same way, I have good news. Drinking one cup of pomegranate juice for just four weeks can lower your blood pressure, this study says.

Remember to read the label when buying pomegranate juice. Added sugar can undo all the benefits. In fact, the safest option is to make your own fresh pomegranate juice.

7. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain potassium and magnesium, two nutrients that a vital for regulating blood pressure.

This sweet root is also a good source of fiber, which lowers blood sugar and keeps us fuller for longer. If you don’t already eat sweet potatoes, substitute them for the wheat foods in your diet.

8. Avocado

Avocado contains potassium and magnesium. Plus, it is loaded with vitamins A, B, E, and K.

You may not think of avocado as a sweet food, but it’s actually a great addition to sweet treats. Use it to thicken your smoothies or as the creamy part of a plant-based chocolate pudding.

9. Beet Juice

Beet juice lowers blood pressure, thanks to nitrite oxide. This compound relaxes and expands blood vessels, which in return improves blood flow, according to research. This study found that drinking 250 ml of beet juice every day lowers blood pressure within four weeks.

10. Carrots

Carrots are one of the best snacks for a sweet tooth, since they are both sweet and low in calories. It turns out they can also lower your blood pressure. They contain beta-carotene and potassium, both of which have been proven to control blood pressure.