Hypertension, is a condition affecting a quarter of Brits which can cause serious health issues
Health experts have pinpointed exactly what we should be eating to lower our blood pressure. According to research, an eating plan known as the DASH diet could prove key if you are suffering from hypertension.
High blood pressure is a serious health issue which is thought to affect around more than a quarter of adults in the UK. It occurs when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high.
This can cause lasting damage to your blood vessels and organs. It is also a major risk factor for medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes.
Luckily there are steps you can take to bring down your blood pressure – including adapting what you eat. Writing for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), its senior dietitian Tracy Parker explained more about the DASH diet.
DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” and it was devised in the 1990s by researchers at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the United States. Tracy said: “The aim of the diet is to cut down on salt (sodium) and eat more nutrients like fibre, potassium and calcium that can help to lower blood pressure naturally.
“It contains lots of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and low-fat dairy products, and is low in salt, saturated fats, sugary foods and alcohol. The standard version of the diet limits your sodium intake to 2,300mg or less a day, which is around 6g or one teaspoon of salt.
“And a lower-sodium version of the diet – with no more than 1,500mg sodium or around 4g or three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt a day – may help to lower blood pressure further.”
One study, which was published in the journal Nutrients in 2019, found that sticking to the DASH diet could significantly lower your blood pressure. As part of the study, the team looked at seven meta-analyses (including 15 observational studies and 31 controlled trials) focused on the DASH diet.
It concluded that the diet was linked to a 5.2mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number on your reading) and 2.6mmHg decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). Further to this, it found that the diet was linked to a 20 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke or coronary heart disease.
What to eat
But what exactly is the DASH diet and how does it work? “The DASH diet recommends eating a certain number of servings (portions) of each food group,” Tracy said.
“It also explains how much of each food group counts as one serving.” The number of servings will vary slightly depending on how many calories you need.
For a 2,000 calorie a day diet, this would be:
- Vegetables – four to five servings a day – one serving equals two handfuls raw leafy vegetables, or 1 handful cut-up raw or cooked vegetables
- Fruits – four to five servings a day, one serving equals one medium fruit, or three tbsp unsweetened dried fruit, or one handful of fresh, frozen or canned fruit, or 120ml fruit juice
- Wholegrains – seven to eight servings a day – one serving equals one slice of wholemeal bread, or one handful of cooked wholegrain pasta or rice
- Lean meats, poultry, fish and eggs – up to six servings a day – one serving equals 30g (1oz) cooked meat, skinless chicken or fish, or one egg
- Low-fat or fat-free dairy, such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese – two to three servings a day – one serving equals 235ml low-fat milk or yoghurt, or 43g (1½ oz) low-fat cheese
- Nuts, seeds and beans – four to five servings a week – one serving equals two tbsp seeds, or two tbsp nut butter, or 43g (1½ oz) mixed nuts, or 85g (3oz) cooked beans
- Salt – less than 2,300mg sodium a day – one serving equals less than one teaspoon of salt
- Fats and oils – two to three servings a day – one serving equals one tsp vegetable oil, soft margarine, or one tbsp mayonnaise
- Added sugar and sweets – less than five servings a week – one serving equals one tbsp of sugar or jam
- Alcohol – less than one drink a day, or 14 units a week – one unit is a single shot of spirit, three units is a large glass of wine or pint of medium strength beer
To lower your blood pressure, the NHS recommends you:
- Have a healthy, balanced diet
- Exercise regularly – aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week
- Lose weight if you’re overweight
- Do not eat too much salt – avoid salty food or adding salt to your meals
- Do not drink too much alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 alcohol units a week on a regular basis
- Do not drink too much caffeine – drinks high in caffeine include coffee, tea and cola
- Do not smoke
If you are concerned about your blood pressure, you should speak to your GP.