This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified healthcare practitioner before engaging in physical activity or making any changes to your diet, medications, or lifestyle.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common condition in which the force of blood pushing against the arteries of the body is too high.
The extra work required to pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious health problems.
In Canada, one in five Canadian adults suffers from high blood pressure. In addition, it is estimated that nine out of 10 Canadians are likely to develop hypertension during their lifetime.
Fortunately, research shows that eating a balanced diet can significantly lower blood pressure and lower your risk of developing hypertension in the first place.
According to Hypertension Canada, sodium is the biggest culprit when it comes to unhealthy blood pressure. They recommend reducing sodium intake to less than 2,000 milligrams per day to reduce blood pressure.
While our minds may immediately think of eliminating table salt, commonly eaten high-sodium foods outweigh table salt consumption by a landslide.
Read on to discover 10 of the worst foods for high blood pressure.
Restaurant foods
There’s a reason restaurant meals are so good: they’re full of oil, sugar, and especially salt.
The truth is that most restaurant food – especially fast food – isn’t meant to be healthy, but as appetizing as possible.
Unfortunately, this reality makes restaurant foods one of the main culprits in the development of hypertension. Although ordering your favorite takeout meals sounds more appealing than cooking it yourself, limit your intake of these high-sodium meals.
processed foods
It’s perhaps no surprise that processed foods like chips, cookies, breakfast cereals and other packaged snacks are some of the worst offenders when it comes to high blood pressure.
Many of us have been surprised when reading the nutrition labels of our favorite snacks to see multiple zeros next to the sodium, fat, and sugar levels.
This is because highly processed foods are full of additives to enhance their taste, which is why they are so addictive.
Delicatessen
Cold cuts like ham, bacon, salami, sausages, and smoked salmon are some of the worst foods for high blood pressure.
That’s because the drying process uses salt – and lots of salt. Although curing preserves these foods for longer periods of time, it also means that they are very high in sodium.
Delicatessen
People with high blood pressure should avoid packaged meats.
Not only are lunch meats highly processed, but they contain very high levels of sodium.
A slice of lunch meat contains up to 382 mg of sodium, far more than the recommended amount of sodium per serving.
Soups
While soups are often considered healthy, vegetarian options, they often contain some of the highest levels of sodium.
This is especially true for canned and processed soups and broths. Try to opt for low sodium labels when choosing your favorite soups.
Bread
Although you might not think bread tastes salty, it does contain a lot of salt. This is particularly the case for processed and pre-packaged bread.
Checking the nutrition labels of packaged foods can go a long way in reducing your sodium intake. It is always better to choose high fiber whole grain bread over highly processed breads.
canned vegetables
While canned vegetables are great in a pinch, they can also be high in salt.
Salt is added to keep canned foods tasty, which also means these foods are not ideal for high blood pressure.
Try to choose low-sodium or salt-free canned foods and wash your canned vegetables thoroughly after opening them.
Frozen meals
While frozen meals are handy for busy days, they are among the worst foods for your blood pressure.
Indeed, they are often loaded with salt to enhance the taste. Even frozen meals marketed as healthy or low calorie can contain high levels of sodium, so be sure to read your labels.
Pickled foods
Foods like pickles, sauerkraut, and olives are submerged in an extra-salty vinegar brine to preserve them.
Although tasty additions to meals, eating pickled foods significantly increases sodium intake.
Seasoning
Small amounts of condiments like ketchup, mustard, and salad dressings may seem innocent, but their high sodium content packs a punch.
Choosing low-sodium condiments and reducing their intake is one way to lower your sodium intake, minimizing the work of your kidneys and arteries.
The bottom line
While high sodium foods are only part of developing high blood pressure, research shows that reducing your intake of high salt foods can reduce high blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about other dietary changes or medications you may need to improve your health.
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