10 Foods to Avoid If You Have High Blood Pressure

Did you know that around 85 million people have hypertension only in the U.S.?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, and death. That’s why you should manage it properly and on time. This health problem can interfere with your daily activities, and knowing what causes it may prevent it from worsening.

If your readings are higher than 140 over 90 mmHg, you have high blood pressure. Usually, regular physical activity, low-sodium diet, reduced alcohol and tobacco use, and changes in the diet can help manage hypertension.

In fact, your diet directly affects your blood pressure levels. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid can help control your blood pressure and prevent further complications.

So, here are the worst foods for hypertension you should stay away from.

10 Foods to Avoid and Their Alternatives

1. Sodas

Most fruit-flavored drinks and sodas contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an added sugar. But, the journal Open Heart published a study which claims that consuming 75g of HFCS on a daily basis increases the risk of hypertension by 30%.

In fact, the researchers from the study say sugar increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in many ways.

Alternative

Instead of sodas, drink a seltzer water combined with some lemon or fruit juice. This drink will give you the same fizz as sodas, without the harmful sugar.

2. Processed Meat

The daily intake of sodium for people with high blood pressure should be no more than 1500 mg, according to the American Heart Association. But, if your breakfast includes a 2-ounce ham, you’ll get around 730mg of sodium.

Add a slice of cheese, bread, mayonnaise, mustard, and pickles, and you’ve reached your daily sodium intake only for breakfast.

That’s why you should avoid processed meats and deli such as sausage, bacon, ham hotdog, baloney, and other processed meat products which are seasoned and preserved with salt.

Alternative

Instead, eat lean meat, chicken breasts, or turkey. Improve their flavor with spices in herbs while cooking.

3. Frozen Pizza

If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid all types of pizza. The mix of bread, tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and deli can quickly increase your sodium intake. What’s more, producers add even more salt to frozen pizzas to preserve their flavor when cooked.

So, ¼ of a frozen pizza can have up to 500mg sodium. The amount increases if the crust is thicker and there are more toppings.

Alternative

If you can’t resist the flavor of pizzas, however, choose one with a thin crust, less cheese, and vegetable toppings.

4. Chinese Food

Bean paste, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce are all used in Chinese dishes. But, did you know they are packed with sodium? For example, a teaspoon of bean paste contains around 220mg of sodium, and a tablespoon of soy sauce can have up to 824mg.