Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
Eating a balanced, nutritious and low sodium breakfast can help set the tone for the rest of your day’s meals.
The appropriate breakfast foods can help you control your blood pressure numbers and increase your energy flow.
Maintaining normal blood pressure is critical because it allows nutrients and oxygen to reach all regions of the body, including vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys.
If you have high blood pressure or hypertension, you are at risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease, both of which are leading causes of death worldwide.
Healthy breakfast options for high blood pressure patients
Starting your day with a healthy breakfast is one effective way to manage high blood pressure.
Here are some healthy breakfast options for people with high blood pressure.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal has high fibre content and low salt content. It’s the ideal way to start the day for anyone with high blood pressure when made with low-fat or non-dairy milk.
For a deeper flavour, try adding cinnamon or almonds, but avoid using too much butter or cream. It’s also quite simple to cook!
Eggs
When it comes to breakfast, eggs are the best fuel you can give to your body. Eggs are abundant in protein and are a popular breakfast item.
While egg yolks are well-known for their high cholesterol content, current research has discovered that there are some compounds in the yolks that have health benefits.
Eat one whole egg or two egg whites as part of a heart-healthy breakfast, but no more than that in one day.
Scramble some egg whites and serve with vegetables for a tasty and filling snack.
Yoghurt
According to studies, a cup of yoghurt each day is a good source of calcium which is beneficial to people who have high blood pressure.
Berries are packed with antioxidants and important vitamins, so sprinkle them on top.
But always choose a low-fat or fat-free yoghurt with no added sugar and artificial flavours.
You can also top the yoghurt with some fruits to make it more nutritious.
Whole grains
Whole-grain breakfast dishes are high in beneficial elements including potassium and fibre, which have been linked to decreased blood pressure.
Choose whole-grain foods to those made with highly refined white flour.
Nuts
Nuts are high in protein and are a popular healthy snack. Incorporating nuts into your diet will help you get more unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, and other nutrients if you have high blood pressure.
When selecting nuts, go for raw or dry-roasted unsalted nuts and limit your serving size to a tiny handful.
Dark chocolate
According to Harvard University research, dark chocolate is an excellent dessert replacement for persons with high blood pressure.
It often contains less sugar than milk chocolate or other desserts. Cocoa (found in dark chocolate) contains flavanols, a plant component that has been demonstrated to stimulate the generation of nitric oxide in the inner lining of blood vessels.
This procedure improves blood flow and relaxes blood arteries, lowering blood pressure.
Fruits
The American Heart Association recommends eating potassium-rich meals to help manage high blood pressure.
The more potassium you consume, the more sodium you excrete in your urine.
Furthermore, potassium relaxes blood artery walls, lowering blood pressure even further.
Having said that, there are various potassium-rich fruits to incorporate into your diet including,
- Avocados
- Apricots
- Grapefruit
- Oranges
Green tea
Green tea and other herbal teas are high in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.
It’s no surprise that it’s been used medicinally for millennia. Long-term consumption may lower blood pressure, according to research.
Milk
According to research, consuming low-fat dairy products such as fat-free and reduced-fat milk can result in low blood pressure.
Milk is high in critical nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and other substances that help lower blood pressure.
Final thoughts
High blood pressure can be controlled with simple diet and lifestyle changes.
If you have high blood pressure and are looking to learn more about the best foods to lower blood pressure, talk to your primary care physician.
It would also be an effective idea to take regular preventive health checkups to keep track of your blood pressure.
