Sourcce: republicworld.com
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is constantly elevated. Those who suffer from hypertension are easily prone to severe health complications. High blood pressure can cause blood vessel damage, followed by increasing the risk of heart diseases. Hypertension is sometimes called ‘the silent killer’ because it shows no symptoms and sometimes goes unnoticed and untreated for years. However, maintaining a proper diet for high blood pressure can prevent such issues. One just needs to follow healthy eating habits.
Food to avoid for hypertension
1. Salt
Salt and sodium are villains when it comes to living with high blood pressure and heart diseases. Sodium is significantly known to raise blood pressure. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that people with high blood pressure should limit sodium intake to just 1,500 milligrams. Even a small reduction of sodium in your diet can increase your heart health and reduce blood pressure by around 5-6 mm Hg. The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among varied groups of people. Ideally, the amount of sodium intake per day for people with hypertension should be 1,500 mg or less.
2. Caffeine
Food items such as coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks contain a high amount of caffeine. Consuming these foods can cause short-term spikes in blood pressure. A review of five trials found that drinking up to 2 cups of strong coffee can increase both systolic and diastolic blood pressure within 3 hours after consumption. However, these findings do not suggest that coffee increases blood pressure or the risk of cardiovascular disease in the long term.
3. Chicken skin and canned soups
People with high blood pressure should avoid saturated food and trans fats. Chicken skin, full-fat dairy, red meat, and butter are some food items that are highly saturated and contain a high amount of trans fat. Also, the biggest contributors to trans fats are processed and canned food items. Canned soups or bottled tomato products are proved to be bad for people suffering from hypertension.
4. Frozen pizza and pickles
All pizzas can be a poor choice for people watching their sodium intake. The combination of cheese, tomato sauce, cured meat, and crust adds up to a lot of sodium. To maintain flavour in the pizza once it is cooked, manufacturers often add a lot of salt to it. We know that preserving any food requires salt, as it stops food from decaying. Thus, the intake of pickles is a bad option for victims of hypertension.