High blood pressure is a stealthy, dangerous condition that’s often called “the silent killer”. It sneaks up on you over time and is hard to notice until the signs become obvious. 

Over time and distance of plaque accumulating against your artery walls, gradually reduces blood flow, which ultimately can lead to scary diseases like heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, and more.

Luckily, you can control hypertension and you don’t even need to resort to blood-thinning pills that have numerous side-effects!

In fact, there are whole foods that can significantly lower blood pressure. 

Here we list nine foods that are particularly effective for lowering blood pressure by cleansing the plaque from your arteries, ensuring that hypertension is kept at bay and doesn't become a serious, chronic condition.

Keep reading to find out the plant-based foods you need more of every day to help manage hypertension naturally and effectively.

1. Grapefruit

Grapefruit pectin strengthens blood vessels and capillaries and reduces the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque, which is vital to reduce blood pressure and hypertension.

2. Red Grapes & Berries

If you’re looking for foods to lower blood pressure, red grapes and berries are a delicious and safe bet.

All red and dark berries are most helpful for lowering blood pressure, since they contain anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that is particularly good at preventing hypertension.

Plus, berries are sweet and tart so they feel less like a health food and more like a sweet treat. Blueberries and strawberries are quite versatile: blend them into morning smoothies, top your healthy oatmeal or cereal with them, eat them as dessert, or add them to a fresh, summery salad.

Learn more:10 Wholefood Remedies to Heal High Blood Pressure.

3. Flaxseed

If you haven’t used flaxseed before, you’re missing out on a nutritional powerhouse food. Just one tablespoon of ground flaxseed gives you protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, plus vitamins and minerals. 

Plus, flaxseed is one of the best foods to lower blood pressure naturally, especially if you add it to your diet for months at a time, and it can help you with a whole host of other health concerns like weight management, high cholesterol, and even cancer.

Ground flaxseed is incredibly easy to consume every day: simply blend it into smoothies, sprinkle it over oatmeal, add it to homemade salad dressings for some texture, bake them into muffins or breakfast bars, or even add it to water to drink.

4. Garlic

Aside from being so tasty, garlic is also one of the best foods to lower blood pressure—partly because it makes healthy food taste so delicious. 

Garlic helps lower blood pressure by increasing the nitric acid in your body, which helps widen arteries. This in turn naturally lowers blood pressure by allowing blood to flow through more easily.

It also helps you by encouraging less salt intake in your diet, which helps lower blood pressure too. 

Other herbs and spices can further boost this effect, like basil, thyme, rosemary, and cinnamon. Garlic is best fresh (versus dried or pre-peeled), so keep a head of garlic handy in the kitchen and add a clove or two whenever you can to your meals.

5. Beet Juice

Just like garlic, red beets have plenty of nitric acid to help widen your arteries and lower blood pressure, and they act quickly. In just a day, your blood pressure could go down thanks to red beets.

Try roasting beets whole with some olive oil and slicing it on top of salads, as a delicious side, or simmered into stews.

You can also juice beets easily and store the juice in the fridge for a few days for a refreshing, tart juice that quickly and effectively lowers blood pressure.

Learn more: Eat Beets for Heart & Blood Health!

6. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are always a good choice: they’re loaded with vitamins and nutrients, they provide excellent fibre, and they’re one of the foods to lower blood pressure that you need. 

Leafy greens have plenty of potassium, which helps your body excrete more sodium through your urine. This then helps lower the body’s blood pressure naturally.

Leafy greens are a great salad base thanks to their varying texture and taste. You can also blend them into daily smoothies to ensure you’re getting enough of them or cook them into sauces and soups. 

7. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great plant-based diet staple: it’s high in fibre while being low in fat and sodium, making it a healthy food all around. But it’s also one of the best foods to lower blood pressure, thanks to the specific type of fibre in oats.

Oatmeal is easy to fit into your daily diet, whether you have it for breakfast or lunch. You can also use rolled oats in baking or overnight oats, a trendy, healthy breakfast option. Dress your oatmeal or oats with fruit, seeds, nuts, cinnamon, or flaxseed for even more health benefits.

8. Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil has long been known for its heart health properties, but few know that it also makes the list of foods to lower blood pressure. 

The healthy fat of olive oil has polyphenols, which fights inflammation and naturally lowers blood pressure. Plus, it’s a much healthier alternative to other cooking oils or butter.

One thing to watch out for is serving size: with EVOO, you always need less than you think you do, and too much of a good thing isn’t so good anymore.

Learn more: Pour On the Olive Oil: 5 Ways it Keeps You Healthy.  

9. Seeds

Speaking of seeds, they’re excellent foods to lower blood pressure. They’re full of crucial minerals like magnesium and potassium that help lower blood pressure naturally, and they’re a satisfying snack that can help prevent you from turning to unhealthier options like chips.

Make sure you choose unsalted seeds, or else the blood pressure benefits go down the drain. You can season them yourself for added taste using a healthy blend of paprika, garlic, or cayenne pepper.

Try the Cornucopia Epicurean Snack for a delicious and healthy mix of seeds, nuts, corn, and more.

10. Watermelon

Watermelon isn’t just a summer staple. In fact, it’s one of the lesser known foods to lower blood pressure. 

Watermelon has an amino acid called citrulline, which helps your body produce more nitric acid. Like in other foods on this list, nitric acid naturally expands your arteries, which in turn lowers blood pressure and helps blood travel more easily through the body.

Watermelon is easy to snack on during the summer, but in the colder months you can add it to salads, juice it, or even try a chilled watermelon soup for a change.

Learn more: Why You Should Try 3 Days on Watermelon Juice.

High blood pressure might go unnoticed for years, and this stealth doesn’t make it any less dangerous—it makes it more detrimental.By eating these foods regularly and checking your blood pressure, you can ensure you stay in the healthy ranges and maintain your quality of life without needing medication.

The best part is, each of these foods is easy to incorporate into your diet in a variety of ways, so you’ll never get bored. In fact, you’re probably already eating a few of them! Stay your healthiest self with these foods and other natural food and body care products from our store.

Tolman Self Care.