Foods to Avoid on a High Blood Pressure Diet

 

By Craig O. Weber, MD Updated on October 14, 2021

 Many of us trying to lose weight, are doing it the old-school method but aren't having much luck, this post might help. The biggest problem for most of the overweight group is that they are treating medical disorders that are caused by their excess weight. High blood pressure is a common problem that overweight people have. 

The topic of dietary recommendations for high blood pressure is an interesting one. On one hand, it is exceedingly complex and has been the continued focus of research for at least three decades. On the other hand, the vast majority of dietary recommendations for high blood pressure are very similar to healthy diet recommendations in general.

But regardless of the latest research, there are certain things you should avoid if you have hypertension. So if you're following a high blood pressure diet to help manage your condition, be sure to watch out for these three potential spikers.

Before reading any further, I want to put in my 2 cents. People who take medications for high blood pressure often get a false sense of security that because their condition is under control they can eat as usual. No really. If you are trying to lose weight while on the medications there are still certain things you need to avoid.

Alcohol

Various alcoholic drinks

People with high blood pressure should not drink alcohol. While studies have demonstrated that low levels of alcohol intake can have protective effects on the heart and can possibly reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, research has also clearly demonstrated that consuming alcohol in the setting of existing high blood pressure is unhealthy.

Alcohol directly raises blood pressure, and further acts to damage the walls of blood vessels, which can elevate the blood pressure further and make it more difficult to treat, while simultaneously increasing the risk of complications.

If you don't want to take the step of cutting out all alcohol, the American Heart Association says to drink alcohol only in moderation, no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day (one for most women, two for most men). A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits. 

Salt

A salt shaker next to a pile of salt

In some people, eating too much salt can make high blood pressure much worse. In others, the same amount of salt consumption may have no effect.4 The problem is that no doctor or scientist can tell which is the case for an individual patient until it is too late.

This, combined with the fact that too much salt is bad for the heart regardless of blood pressure status, means that reduced sodium is a strongly recommended part of a healthy diet. These recommendations are especially important in the setting of secondary high blood pressure due to kidney problems.5

While it can be difficult at first to eat a low-sodium diet, you will quickly readjust your taste buds when you stick with it for a couple of weeks. Preparing your own food at home from whole ingredients rather than eating processed food or eating at restaurants is an easy way to control the sodium in your food.6

Fats

Cheeseburger and fries

 Ebmarketa / Getty Images

Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for both the heart and blood vessels.7 Because the circulatory system is already under a lot of stress in the setting of high blood pressure, the extra strain can be devastating.

The balanced high blood pressure diet should include sparse amounts of saturated and trans-fats (red meat, fast food), and moderate amounts of other fats (olives, canola oil), avoiding tropical oils. Instead of red meat, enjoy fish, poultry, seeds, nuts, and beans. You can still have the occasional meal of the leanest cuts of red meat. Enjoy fat-free or low-fat dairy products.

Heart-Check Shopping

When you are buying products at the grocery store, look for the Heart-Check mark from the American Heart Association. This mark on the label shows the product meets the AHA criteria for saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium for a single serving.

DASH Eating Plan

If you want a more structured way to dive into a diet for hypertension, look into the DASH eating plan, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, this plan will also help you lose weight.

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