5 Foods to Help Maintain Your Blood Pressure

Maintaining healthy eating habits is one of the essential keys to keeping your blood pressure within normal range. If your blood pressure is too high, it can cause all kinds of nasty things to happen to your body such as heart disease and heart attacks, kidney failure and stroke. If your blood pressure is to low your brain, heart, kidneys and other vital organs do not get the proper oxygen and nutrients and may be permanently damaged. It is best to keep your blood pressure just right.

Here are five foods that you may find suitable to help combat high blood pressure.

1. Garlic. Garlic is high in potassium and helps protect the arteries and heart by reducing cholesterol levels and preventing blood clots. Garlic also reduces plaque that builds up in your arteries. Arterial plaque buildup is caused by substances that circulate in the blood such as fat, calcium, cellular waste, cholesterol and fibrin, a material that clots blood. Garlic is like liquid plumber for your arteries. You can add a clove or two of garlic to almost any recipe for a little extra pizazz and help in lowering and maintaining high blood pressure.

2. Chocolate. You can balance the taste of the garlic with the taste of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is rich in active phenols and one half ounce of dark chocolate a day will help lower blood pressure. Phenol enriched foods, of which chocolate is one, helps lower the blood viscosity, keeping the blood thin. This inhibits blood clots and thin blood is easier for weary hearts to pump. Give yourself a treat and have some dark chocolate after lunch. Whoever thought chocolate would be good for your blood pressure?

3. Plain rice and noodles. Rice and noodles are healthy foods as long as they aren't drenched in butter and sauce. Rice and noodles are low in fat, cholesterol free and low in sodium. Fat, cholesterol and sodium are three of the culprits contributing to high blood pressure. Rice and noodles are high in fiber and fiber lowers cholesterol. Why not have a bowl of rice or noodles with a sprinkling of garlic some night for supper?

4. Fruits. Bananas and red grapes have a high volume of glucose for energy and are also rich in potassium which works to clean up the fat coating inside the vascular wall. Potassium also reacts with sodium to regulate glutinous flow of blood. Cut up banana, or any fruit for that matter, is a nice addition to your morning cereal or an afternoon snack. Always buy fresh fruit. Don't buy canned or processed fruit. They usually contain a lot of the bad guys - fat, sugar and salt. Fruits might just be the best blood pressure medicine.

5. Broccoli. Broccoli is high in potassium and contains chromium. Chromium helps regulate blood sugar and insulin and potassium helps stream line the blood flow. Steamed is the way to go with broccoli if you want it cooked but the florets can be eaten raw or dipped in a low calorie dip or salad dressing. You might try roasting or grilling broccoli for a new taste in vegetable.