Hypertension which is also known as high blood pressure may be defined as the force of blood pushing against the blood vessel walls. In layman’s terms, we can say that hypertension is the force exerted by the blood against the blood vessel walls. The World Health Organization says that processed foods that are highly rich in salts are majorly responsible for the worldwide hypertension cases.
The World Hypertension League says that 4 out of 10 adults have hypertension or high blood pressure and over 50% don’t know that they have hypertension. The normal blood pressure range is 120/80 while people having a blood pressure range of 130/80 mmHg are treated as hypersensitive.
Fatigue, severe headache, impaired vision, breathing problem, pain in the neck, chest, or ears, etc are some of the symptoms of high blood pressure. Unchecked hypertension can lead to heart attack, stress, and kidney disease. However, dietary changes, lifestyle changes, weight loss, stress management can prove to be effective to reduce high blood pressure.
The blood pressure is reliable on the heart functions and the resistance of the blood vessels. Low salt intake, a diet full of whole grains, and consuming food substances low in fat are helpful in controlling blood pressure levels. For desired results, you need to consult a dietician for a well-planned diet chart and follow the same.
Diet plan for hypertension
Early Morning: Drink warm lemon water or plain water. You can have tea with skimmed milk(less than 3% fat).
Breakfast: VegetableOats Upma (1 cup)Drumstick leaves Millet dosa-2, Spinach kneaded chapatti-1, Carrot dhokla-2, pieces with tomato chutney, Raita Mid Morning Fruit like apple, banana, orange, watermelon, pomegranate, papaya (1 cup)Green Tea -1 cup
Lunch: Brown rice (1 cup) with Sambar ( 1 cup), Sabzi (Ladies finger, beetroot, or greens, carrot, or bottle gourd), and curd
Evening: Green Tea, Red juice, Lemonade (without sugar)Dry roasted makhana (8-10)
Pre Dinner: Tea with skimmed MilkOr Green Tea (1 cup), Boiled Legumes soup, or Flaxseed or sunflower seed dry roasted 1 teaspoon
Dinner: Plain Chapatti with seasonal Vegetable, and Daal or Khichdi
Bed Time: Chamomile tea
Below are the things that you should consider and avoid for Hypertension.
| Item | Things to Consume | Things to Avoid |
Vegetables |
Zucchini, Pumpkin, Parsley, potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, Bottle guard, Ridge guard, round guard, Turnip, radish, beetroot, ginger, broccoli, mushroom, cucumber, onion, carrot, cauliflower, asparagus, beans, peas, Spinach, Kale | Yam, Sweet potatoes, Taro roots, Jack fruit, dried beans, chicken (twice a week) |
Fruits |
Papaya, Guava, Kiwi, Pomegranate, apples, pears, Apricots, plum, Pomegranate, Pear, Sapodilla watermelon, muskmelon, Banana, Pineapple, Dates, Figs, strawberries, peaches, orange | All canned and packaged Fruits, coconut |
| Beverages | Coconut Water, Butter Milk, soups ( without salt), Green Tea, Carrot juice, Cucumber juice, kiwi juice, pomegranate juice, Guava juice, Papaya juice, Amla juice, Banana juice, beetroot juice, Aloe Vera juice, etc | Alcohol, Sweetened drinks, Squashes, Carbonated drinks, Canned fruit juices, Whole milk drinks, cream-based juices, canned soup or packaged soup, hot chocolates, soda, coffee, tea |
| Cereals | Wheat, Brown Rice, Oats, Quinoa, Sorghum, Amaranth, Finger millet, Foxtail millet, Pearl millet, Semolina, barely, puffed bread, | Sweet biscuit, cream biscuits, cream crackers, cheese biscuits, noodles, Pasta, Marconi, white refined flour, white rice, corns white bread |
| Pulses | All pulses and lentils, Soya products, Green gram, and all split & skinned lentils (Dhuli daal) | Dried and frozen Pulses |
| Spices | Turmeric, Cumin, carom, Fennel, Mint, Coriander, Fenugreek, Limited quantity of salt, Thyme | Red Chili powder, and Table salt |
| Seeds and Dry fruits | Soaked Almonds, Figs, Flax seeds, Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds in moderation | Pistachio, Peanuts, Cashew Nuts, Raisins |
| Flesh Foods | Lean Meat, fish, roasted or grilled chicken, boiled egg-whites ( twice in a month) | Fried fish, prawns, lean beef, pork, lamb, ham, egg yolk, mutton, organ meat, smoked and canned fish, fatty meat |
| Dairy Products | Low fat, Yogurt, Buttermilk | High-fat milk, Cream, Cheese, Condensed milk, butter, cocoa, butter, cheese |
| Oils/Fats | Cow ghee, Olive Oil | Palm oil, coconut oil, Hydrogenated oil, Trans fat foods |
Most people don’t know that they have hypertension. According to the American Heart Association, the daily sodium intake should not exceed 1,500 milligrams while a teaspoon of salt consists of 2, 400 milligrams of sodium.
NOTE – These dietary guidelines may vary from patient to patient according to their medical parameters. These are generalized guidelines that might help in hypertension
