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7 Foods and Drinks to Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure

By February 23, 2021 - 3:40am

The diet has a big impact on different aspects of your health, including your blood pressure. Over 45 percent of Americans have hypertension. If you are one of those struggling with high blood pressure, you need to follow a healthy diet without sugary and salty foods, and products high in saturated fats. These ingredients can increase your blood pressure and increase the risk of related health issues.

Below you can find 7 foods and drinks you need to avoid or limit if you have high blood pressure. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure, avoiding these foods can prevent this issue from developing.

1. Bread
Depending on the type of bread, one slice may contain up to 230 mg of sodium. A high intake of sodium can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease or stroke. Look for a whole wheat bread that has a low content of sugar, sodium, and other additives. The lower your intake of sodium, the lower your risk of high blood pressure.

2. Chicken
Chicken is one of the most popular dishes on family dinners and lunchtime sandwiches across the United States. The chicken meat is considered dietitian but it is often injected with saltwater solutions during processing. This makes chicken one of the hidden sources of salt. Four ounces of chicken meat without bones may contain between 40-330 mg of sodium. Excessive sodium intake can make your body hold extra water and increase blood pressure.

3. Sauces and condiments
Most people with high blood pressure replace table salt with sauces and condiments to reduce sodium intake. But they don’t realize how much sugar hides in these dressings. While they contain large amounts of sodium, sauces often high in saturated fat and added sugar. These ingredients can increase your blood pressure and take a toll on overall wellbeing. A self-prepared sauce is always a healthier alternative for purchased ones.

4. Canned soup
Canned soups, broths, and stocks are easy and fast to prepare, but these products contain a high amount of sodium. This means that they can increase your blood pressure significantly. One can of chicken soup may contain up to 2,100 mg of sodium, while the daily norm is just 1,500 mg. You may try to find canned soups with low sodium content or make your own soup. This can take longer to prepare soup by yourself, but unlike a canned one, this soup will be blood pressure-friendly.

5. Processed meat
There are a wide variety of deli counter items like roast beef, ham, bacon. All of them are extremely bad for your blood pressure. Deli counter products are loaded with high doses of sodium. Six slices of bacon contain half of your daily deli. Eating deli meats can increase your blood pressure and worsen your wellbeing significantly. It is recommended to eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day to prevent serious health problems.

6. Alcohol
If you suffer from blood pressure, it is extremely important to limit the intake of alcohol. Alcoholic beverages can increase your blood pressure and worsen overall wellbeing. In small doses, alcohol can relax your blood vessels and lower blood pressure. But drinking more than 4-5 drinks in two hours has the opposite effect. It causes veins to tighten and constrict, increasing your blood pressure. Besides, alcoholic drinks can interfere with blood pressure medications and reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure treatment.

7. Sandwiches
The sandwiches are a broad category, but most classic sandwiches contain ingredients that can take a toll on your blood pressure. The most classic sandwich with turkey, mayo, a slice of cheese on the whole-wheat bread contains up to 1,300 mg of sodium. This is almost your daily dose of sodium. If you prefer eating sandwiches for lunch, prepare them by yourself. This, you can control the amount of sodium you eat during the day.

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