Q: I am trying to change the way I eat so I can lower my blood pressure and cholesterol naturally, it’s not clear to me whether nuts are a good snack to add to my eating plan.
A: First, in general, it is important to eat healthy and to avoid foods that will further aggravate high blood pressure and cholesterol. Nuts are good to eat on a daily basis as a snack to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and to prevent heart disease. The fact that nuts serve as a good source of potassium, magnesium, fiber and healthy fats, make them a part of a healthy diet for your heart. The DASH diet – designed to help reduce high blood pressure – encourages people to increase their intake of nuts within moderation since they also contain saturated or unhealthy fats, which in excess can have the opposite affect and increase the risk of heart disease. The best way to enjoy the benefits of eating nuts, is to restrict yourself to just eating them daily as a healthy snack.
So what are the best nuts to snack on?
Certain types of nuts, such as nuts high in omega-3 fatty acids, are more of a benefit in lowering blood pressure than others. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts and pistachio nuts all improve omega-3 fatty acid levels, with walnuts providing the most omega-3 fatty acids. Eating around 1.5 oz. of nuts per day — no more than a handful or about 8 nuts per day — is enough to provide the necessary health benefits.
Nuts high in omega-3 fatty acids help lower blood pressure by keeping the blood vessels pliable and protecting the nervous system. Nuts high in omega-3 fatty acids also help lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol buildup on the interior walls of blood vessels can narrow the blood vessels, increasing the workload of the heart, which raises blood pressure.When buying walnuts or any type of nuts, make sure to purchase low-sodium nuts, since too much salt can increase high blood pressure. Stay away from nut mixes or trail mixes that are often loaded with sugar and unhealthy fat.
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The most effective dietary change for me was to significantly increase my dietary intake of potassium to a target level of 4.5 -5.0 grams per day. The best way to do this is to eat lots of high potassium/low calorie vegetables, examples are lettuce, cauliflower, celery, spinach, kale, etc. I looked for foods that had more than 10 times as many mg of potassium as calories/110g. Example: spinach 588mg potassium/23 cal/100g portion. Coconut water is another high potassium/low calorie food, 200mg potassium/19 cal/100g and it is easy to drink a couple of single serve cartons per day. With potassium consumption of 4.5-5.0 grams per day, my blood pressure dropped from 140/90 to 115/75. If you are already taking a potassium sparing blood pressure medication talk to your doctor to see if your potassium needs to be monitored.
Good reply in regards to dietary potassium intake and potassium sparing medication!
I should have said, “I looked for foods that had more than 10 times as many mg of potassium as calories/100g.” Also this is the website I use to get the specific amounts of potassium in food so I could make sure I was getting at least 4.5 grams/day. If I was short at the end of a day I would drink a carton or two of coconut water to make up the difference.
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list
Nuts, particulary Walnuts are good for lowering BP due the Omega-3 ALA, however the current belief is that they will not lower cholesterol levels as they are a source of monounsaturated fats like olive oil, but they are still fats. To lower cholesterol it’s best to stick to fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains only.
I have CKD along with Diabetes and High Blood Pressure. Potassium is not good for CKD, what should I eat?
There are times when only a physician and a dietician can help, especially with a chronic disease such as CKD.
Potassium,magneseum, calcium, in combination helps lower blood pressure. Instead of Milk, for calcium I use seasame seeds which are high in calcium. Potatoes are a great source of potassium, and all sorts of greens as well. Epsom salt is Magneseum, so if you grow your own vegetables and give them Epsom salts I suppose you too will benefit from what you are feeding them.
Thank you all for giving details of natural products that I could take to lower my blood pressure.My first time using this website and also looking to lower my cholesterol.(would be so happy to be off statins.)