Worst Foods for High Blood Pressure

Lifestyle modification is generally recommended for people with health conditions such as hypertension. Even when you are cautious about the things you eat and drink, there are are still foods you may not consider as unhealthy. 

These are compilation of foods that are worst for you if you have high blood pressure.

Restaurant Food

Are you a regular eater at a restaurant? The shrimp in your rice may be the best you've ever eaten, but it's might be full of salt. According to research, most of sodium in U.S. diets are from restaurant and packaged foods. One way to solve this, is to select low- sodium menu or ask the chef to make your meal without salt. To spice up the taste of your food without adding sodium, you can use lemon juice on fish and veggies. The recommended daily intake of sodium for adults is 2,300 milligrams or one teaspoon.

Frozen Meals

frozen foods are quick and convenient. However, they're are high in sodium, and it's best to avoid them. If you need a quick meal, look for options not more than 600 milligrams of sodium.

Salty Snacks

Yes we all love that crispy bite, and often snack on them at a go than we should. Most chips, crackers and popcorn are high in sodium. You can opt for little to no salted nuts, seeds, and chips when you are craving for one. Better still, you can eat fresh carrots or celery stick for a crunching bite.

Bread

Who doesn't love a taste of a fresh sliced bread. While bread doesn't always taste salty, there are enough of it in bread. A slice of white bread has between 80-230 milligrams. If you want to make a sandwich, go for whole-grain bread, or a tortilla to reduce your salt intake. Or simply eat a one slice sandwich.

Soup

A bowl of soup is definitely satisfying especially on a cold day, it is however often high in salt. A cup of tomato soup can have about 700-1,260 milligrams of salt. If you must have a soup, buy low- sodium versions or prepare it using herbs and spices of choice.

Processed Meat

Lunch meat usually has about 750 milligrams or more of salt in one serving. Other processed meats high in salt are corned beef, hot dogs, bacon, salt pork, and sausage. It's best to stick to fish, chicken, and lean meat.

Pizza

Pizza is likely high in salt. A 4- ounce slice of frozen cheese pizza has about 370-730 milligrams. A typical 4- ounce slice from a restaurant has more than that about 510-760 milligrams. To reduce your salt intake, order for smaller size pizza and avoid the stuffed crust. Choice thin crust and veggies for the health benefits.

Beer, Wine, and Alcohol

You are at higher risk of having high blood pressure when you drink too much alcohol. Recommended daily intake for men is not more than 2 drinks a day; and 1 drink for women. A drink is about 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, and 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits. Studies linked red wine to heart health, however, you should limit the amount you consume.

Condiments

Ketchup, soysauce, and salad dressings are loaded with salt. Choose low- sodium substitutes when shopping, or try lemon juice and vinegar for flavor.

Cheese

Depending on the type, some cheese can raise your blood pressure than others. Choose cheeses that are naturally low in salt, such as Swiss with about 75 milligrams per 1-ounce serving. Other good substitutes are Goat, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella. Processed and hard cheeses like the American and cottage cheese have more salt. For example, a half cup of regular cottage cheese has 455 milligrams.

Source: WebMD.