If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance that you or someone you know has been diagnosed with hypertension (also known as high blood pressure). It may be a worrying condition, but still, there are several things you can do about it: physical exercise, managing stress, quitting smoking, and of course dietary changes.
One of the most significant yet uncommonly practiced approach is cutting out salt. A small decrease in sodium intake can actually lower blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. You can flavor your food with organic salt alternatives that are readily available just around the corner! Not only are they beneficial in the reduction of sodium intake, they are also rich in many nutrients like magnesium and potassium, which are helpful in the management of hypertension. Plus, the taste is just great!
Let’s identify the best ones.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are a really good salt alternative that comes from a common wildflower in North America. The taste is nutty and vaguely sweet.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
There is more to sunflower seeds than being a salt alternative. They carry a peptide that helps lower blood pressure and they contain fiber, protein, folic acid, magnesium, copper, magnesium, tryptophan, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins E, B1, and B6, for healthy blood and blood flow.
Preparation/Usage
Eat sunflower seeds raw or roasted and unsalted. Always note that sunflower seeds make a good snack, but you can also add them to salads, oatmeal, or wild rice dishes to add some crunch.
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
The lemon is believed to be a hybrid between citron and bitter orange. Based on historical research, the fruit is found to have hailed originally from Asia. Lemons contain a lot of acid, making the flavor of the juice, tart and bracing.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
The juice of the lemon keeps blood vessels pliable and soft, easing and improving the blood flow. Blood pressure becomes reduced – thereby blood can flow easily away from and towards the heart. Also, lemon juice is packed with Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals.
Preparation/Usage
Lemon juice can be used in so many ways. You can squeeze it into green tea or plain water for a little kick, or use it as a topping on salads, on fish or chicken, on pasta, or in your morning green smoothie.
Onion Powder
Onion powder is a dehydrated and grounded spice out of an onion bulb. The powder is commonly used as a seasoning ingredient in many spice mixes. Be careful not to confuse “onion powder” with “onion salt”. Onion salt is an onion powder with added salt. Stick with its plain powder form. Onion powder tastes sweet, spicy, and earthy, and in some cases, strong.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
Onions contain Vitamin C and chromium. Pure onion powder induces the production of good cholesterol (HDL), and in doing so, it keeps your heart healthy and helps keep blood pressure in control.
Preparation/Usage
Onion powder is great in soups and stews, sprinkled on baked sweet potato wedges, and just about any other dish that will complement its complex flavor. Since powder is stronger than a raw, fresh onion, you should add it later in the process of cooking or baking.
Black Pepper Powder
The black pepper powder is a salt alternative that is native to India. It comes from a flowering vine that’s cultivated and dried for use as a spice and seasoning for a variety of foods. It tastes a bit acrid.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
The peppercorn, whether whole or ground, aids in the breakdown of fat cells. Since obesity can lead to hypertension, this is a great way to keep weight in check.
Preparation/Usage
Peppercorn is delicious on egg whites, in tomato drinks, as a sprinkle on chicken or fish, and in just about any other dish you currently spice with salt.
Garlic Powder
Garlic is a bulb that is native to central Asia, but it’s been long associated with Italian food. Garlic powder has been used for over 7,000 years in the human diet, and was utilized as a medicine by the ancient Egyptians. The taste is rich and complex, with a slightly oniony undertone.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
Garlic inhibits the body’s production of angiotensin II, a blood vessel constrictor that is responsible for increasing the pressure in your veins.
Preparation/Usage
You can actually take garlic powder in pill form as a supplement — a 600mg dose contains 3.6 mg of allicin, which is said to lower the blood pressure by 10% — but you can’t deny how it can tastier as an added ingredient to food. You may sprinkle it on healthy whole grain toast to make garlic bread, or use it on vegetable pasta.
Bay Leaf
The Bay Leaf is native to the Mediterranean, a product out of the old time favorite Bay Laurel tree. The flavor comes from its very sharp aroma, and tastes bitter.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
Studies have shown that adding bay leaves to one’s diet can reduce glucose and lipids – aka, sugar and fat – in the blood.
Preparation/Usage
Add bay leaves to soups and stews, spaghetti sauces, and just about any dish you simmer. If you have headaches (a common symptom of blood vessel constriction and increased blood pressure), a well-known effective herbal remedy is hot tea using three dried or fresh bay leaves, and letting them steep for 10 minutes before drinking.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a savory spice that comes from the inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum. There are two varieties of cinnamon, Chinese and Ceylon. The taste is sharp, sweet, and warm.
Other Blood Pressure Benefits
The mechanism of action is not well understood, but clinical studies have shown that even short-term use of ground cinnamon can significantly lower high blood pressure. It also reduces glucose levels, making it especially helpful for people with diabetes in addition to hypertension.
Preparation/Usage
The spice is sweet, and a bit fruity, so it’s best in breakfast preparations such as whole grain toast or cereal, a healthy morning smoothie, a low fat yogurt, or hot oatmeal. It’s also well-fitting to have with herbal tea in its stick form. It’s good in some soups, as well.
Conclusion
Hypertension can lead to heart attacks, strokes and even kidney failure. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or above is generally considered high. But fortunately, it’s a good thing to know that hypertension is a highly manageable condition. In fact, the DASH (Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension) was developed as a dietary plan to specifically deal with the condition. You may want to take a look at these DASH diet recipes.
Editor’s Note:
A limited diet of processed foods with refined salt leads to hypertension, but salt is not the bad guy here. The refined white table salt has beens stripped of its beneficial minerals so the companies can sell them back to you. Make sure the salt you use is not refined and therefore not void of the nutritional benefits we need from it. Just like sugar, in its natural form salt is good for us and absolutely essential. On the other hand, cooking with herbs and seasonings is an easy way to improve your health and the taste of your food. If you want to lower your blood pressure quickly, try this protocol Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included for a few days and then get your blood pressure checked. You’ll be amazed.
Recommended Reading:
- Hypertension – How To Lower Your Blood Pressure Quickly and Naturally
- Salt is Good For You
- Cayenne and Capsaicin, Natures Miracle Medicine
- Cinnamon – Ceylon Vs Cassia, Health Benefits, and Other Interesting Facts
- Things You Should Know About Garlic – DIY, Recipes, Other Tips