Hypertension Treatment: Diet

There are a number of ways you can use dietary modifications and supplements to help prevent and treat hypertension.

Consider the following:

• Eat a heart-healthy diet: A diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, while rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, will help lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body weight—all of which leads to a healthier heart. This is what is traditionally known as the heart-healthy diet.
  • A clinical study, called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), has found that certain healthful eating patterns can reduce blood pressure. This is called the DASH diet, and it follows many of the guidelines of the heart-healthy diet.
  • Findings from the second phase of the DASH study indicate that cutting salt intake is another effective way to lower blood pressure. Sodium intake is a risk factor for some but not all people. Doctors have traditionally advised patients with hypertension to significantly cut down on salt in the diet. However, the value of this stressful dietary change has undergone significant questioning. Consult with your physician to learn the latest recommendations.
  • For many years, the American Heart Association and other major institutions have recommended cutting down on saturated fat and increasing carbohydrates. However, growing evidence suggests that it is preferable to keep carbohydrate levels relatively low while replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fats such as olive oil.¹¹⁰ For more information, see the low-carbohydrate diet article.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Losing as little as 10 pounds can help decrease your heart’s workload and lower your blood pressure. Try to keep your body mass index (BMI) below 25. Exercising regularly and following one of the dietary approaches mentioned above will help with achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. For information on movement and hypertension, see the body page.
• Reduce alcohol consumption: Drinking too much alcohol increases blood pressure and can lead to other heart problems. Moderate alcohol intake, however, is not associated with high blood pressure. (Moderate alcohol intake is two drinks or fewer per day for men and one drink or fewer per day for women.)
• Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup: High Fructose Corn Syrup is a proven culprit in causing metabolic syndromes (including abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension.) It is an artificial sweetener found in the majority of processed foods and soft drinks, and is consumed at an alarming rate in the United States and around the world despite its health detriments. Reducing your consumption of HFCS can decrease your hypertension & increase your general fitness. Learn more about the Effect of HFCS on Hypertension.

In addition to modifying your diet, you might consider incorporating some of the following foods and supplements, which are commonly recommended for hypertension and researched for this purpose:

• Folate (folic acid)
• Coenzyme Q10
• Fish oil
• Fermented milk
• Chocolate
• Garlic
• Soy
• Calcium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D

The following foods and supplements are also sometimes recommended for hypertension, though they have not yet been thoroughly studied for this purpose:

• Beta-carotene
• Flaxseed oil
• Royal jelly
• Taurine
• Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB)⁶¹
• Blue-green algae products⁵⁰
• Chitosan⁴²
• Concord grape juice⁸⁸
• Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)^115-121
• Kelp⁴⁴
• Lipoic acid combined with carnitine¹⁰⁶
• Quercetin¹²³
• Sweetie fruit (a hybrid between grapefruit and pummelo, high in citrus bioflavonoids)⁸³

• Hypertension and Coenzyme Q10
• Hypertension and Fish Oil
• Hypertension and Fiber
• Hypertension and Fermented Milk
• Hypertension and Chocolate
• Hypertension and Calcium
• Hypertension and Soy
• Hypertension and Vitamin D
• Hypertension and Folate
• Hypertension and Vitamin C
• Hypertension and Heart-Healthy Diet
• Hypertension and DASH Diet
• Hypertension and High Fructose Corn Syrup

It is not yet clear how CoQ10 helps lower blood pressure. The supplement is used for other cardiovascular conditions because, among other things, it might assist the heart during times of stress on...

Read more about Hypertension and Coenzyme Q10.

Fish oil has a number of effects on the cardiovascular system. It may help lower blood pressure by acting as a blood thinner and slightly reducing the heart rate, among other actions.

Read more about Hypertension and Fish Oil.

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Read more about Hypertension and Fiber.

Fermenting milk can increase levels of active compounds such as GABA, a neurotransmitter that acts as a vasodilator. Vasodilators help lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels, expanding...

Read more about Hypertension and Fermented Milk.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains a number of active compounds that may explain its positive effect on blood pressure. Chocolate is rich in antioxidants in the flavonol family,...

Read more about Hypertension and Chocolate.

Calcium plays a number of roles in the body. For instance, calcium is involved in the contraction and dilation of blood vessels,²⁸ both of which affect blood pressure.

Read more about Hypertension and Calcium.

Soy contains several components that are believed to have effects on the body, including proteins, fiber, phospholipids, and isoflavones (phytoestrogens). Any or all of these elements might...

Read more about Hypertension and Soy.

Vitamin D plays a number of roles in the body, some of which are just now being discovered and confirmed. Its exact role in preventing or treating hypertension is not immediately clear. One...

Read more about Hypertension and Vitamin D.

Folate plays a number of very important functions in the body, including cell division. Its exact role in the reduction of blood pressure is not yet clear. It may help reduce high blood pressure by a...

Read more about Hypertension and Folate.

The exact role of vitamin C in lowering blood pressure is not yet clear. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes damaging natural substances called free radicals. It works in water,...

Read more about Hypertension and Vitamin C.

The idea behind a heart-healthy diet is that it supports overall health while also helping control certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Read more about Hypertension and Heart-Healthy Diet.

The eating pattern outlined in the DASH diet promotes healthier blood pressure levels (and heart health in general) because of what it includes and excludes.¹ Specifically:

• Magnesium,...

Read more about Hypertension and DASH Diet.

42. Kato H, Taguchi T, Okuda H, et al. Antihypertensive effect of chitosan in rats and humans. J Tradit Med. 1994;11:198-205.
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