Foods to Avoid with Hypertension

Living with hypertension can be difficult if you do not stick to a healthy diet. There are a number of foods out there that you need to avoid. These foods will only increase you blood pressure or complicate matters. Some people’s solution to their problem is to go to their doctor, get a prescription for high blood pressure and do nothing else to address the problem. It is possible to lower your blood pressure, so that if you are on medication you could get to the point where you no longer need it.

The most obvious foods to avoid are the same ones that can cause high cholesterol. You should avoid both saturated fats and trans fats. Both of these fats will cause cholesterol to calcify on the walls of the circulatory system, narrowing the passage that blood can flow through, and increase blood pressure. These fats are found in deep fried foods such as chickens, donuts, French fries, onion rings and any other food that is deep fried. Foods like pastries, cookies, potato chips and cakes can contain high levels of both fats. Dairy products such as cheese, butter, heavy cream, whole milk, sour cream, cream cheese, and ice cream all have saturated fats in them.

Food high in sodium should be avoided when you have hypertension. The recommended daily dosage is 2000 mg of salt daily. Next time you are in the grocery store check out the healthy frozen meals. There are some that contain 1200 mg of salt per serving and the serving size for that meal counts as 2, so for one meal you are eating 2400 mg of salt.

Fast food restaurants should be avoided. The majority of the menu items are just full of fats and sodium. Even when they advertise healthy options, like salads, take a look at the nutritional information on the back of the low fat salad dressing they give you. Even your favorite sit-down restaurants can provide you with tons of sodium and fats. Most chain restaurants use butter and salt to flavor the meals. It is better to prepare meals at home and pack a lunch to take to work.