Part of maintaining normal blood pressure involves adopting a healthy, balanced diet. This may include eating more vegetables.
The British Heart Foundation recommends a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables for everyone, regardless of their blood pressure. Studies have also shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce blood pressure.1
This article will explore the role of vegetables in the diet of someone with high blood pressure.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of the blood against the blood vessels when it flows around the body.
The measurement for blood pressure is millimetres of mercury (mmHg). It is usually written as one number “over” a second number. The first number is the systolic blood pressure, generated when the heart is contracting i.e. pushing blood out into the arteries.
The second or bottom number is the blood pressure when the heart is resting, between each heartbeat. This is the diastolic blood pressure.
Normal blood pressure ranges
The normal blood pressure range is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
If a blood pressure reading is greater than this, it is an elevated blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure can progress to high blood pressure.
What is high blood pressure?
The blood pressure is considered high if the reading measured at a clinic is greater or equal to 140/90mmHg, or 135/85mmHg or greater when taken at home.
High blood pressure is also referred to as hypertension and can be measured in stages. The most severe form of hypertension is when the blood pressure is 180/120mmHg or higher. In this case, it's crucial to seek urgent medical attention.
Hypertension affects more than one billion people around the world.2 A consistently high blood pressure can increase the risk of future cardiovascular events such as coronary artery disease, angina, abdominal aortic aneurysm and strokes.3
The role of diet in managing blood pressure
Drinking alcohol and consuming foods which are high in sodium, cholesterol and fatty acids is associated with a higher incidence of hypertension.4 On the other hand, foods which contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, and unsaturated fats have been found to have the opposite effect on blood pressure.4 These micronutrients can be found in many fruits and vegetables.
Other substances found in fruits and vegetables which can contribute to a reduction in blood pressure include vitamins C, E and folic acid.4
In all cases, it is important to always consult a healthcare professional before making dietary changes as some nutrients may not be suitable for your consumption or may worsen existing conditions.
Vegetables for lowering blood pressure
Although a diet which consists of a high amount of fruits and vegetables combined has been associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure, most existing studies only looked at fruits and/or vegetables as a whole and not at individual types of fruits or vegetables.3 It is also unclear whether a diet high in vegetables, which is not also high in fruits, is beneficial for lowering blood pressure.5
In studies which have analysed individual types of vegetables, not all the vegetables were found to cause an equal reduction in blood pressure. The adverse effect on blood pressure was noted by some vegetables, causing it to increase rather than decrease.3,5
Some examples of vegetables which were found to be beneficial include:3
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Onions
Lifestyle factors and blood pressure
Besides a diet rich in vegetables, according to NICE, other lifestyle factors which can contribute to managing high blood pressure include the following:
- Reduced alcohol intake
- Smoking cessation
- Lower dietary sodium intake
- Regular exercise
- Weight loss (if overweight or obese)
- Avoidance of excessive caffeine consumption
Your medical team should create an individualised management plan with you, should you be diagnosed with high blood pressure. This plan may involve taking blood-pressure-reducing medications, as well as implementing the necessary lifestyle changes from the list above.2
Summary
In conclusion, lifestyle changes and a healthy diet can contribute to a reduction in blood pressure.
Though research does suggest an association with high fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced blood pressure, more research needs to be performed to look into the individual effects of specific vegetables.
References
- Ozemek C, Laddu DR, Arena R, Lavie CJ. The role of diet for prevention and management of hypertension. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2018 Jul;33(4):388–93.
- Iqbal AM, Jamal SF. Essential hypertension. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 11]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539859/
- Madsen H, Sen A, Aune D. Fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Eur J Nutr [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 11];62(5):1941–55. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10349693/
- Motamedi A, Ekramzadeh M, Bahramali E, Farjam M, Homayounfar R. Diet quality in relation to the risk of hypertension among Iranian adults: cross-sectional analysis of Fasa PERSIAN cohort study. Nutrition Journal [Internet]. 2021 Jun 26 [cited 2023 Nov 11];20(1):57. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-021-00717-1
- Borgi L, Muraki I, Satija A, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Forman JP. Fruit and vegetable consumption and the incidence of hypertension in three prospective cohort studies. Hypertension [Internet]. 2016 Feb [cited 2023 Nov 11];67(2):288–93. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5350612/
