7-Day Meal Plan for High Blood Pressure, Expert-Recommended

An unhealthy lifestyle – with lack of exercise and improper food habits – has been well-established as one of the factors contributing to high blood pressure. In addition to stress, weight issues, genetics, and pre-existing medical conditions, a high blood pressure diet plays a crucial role in managing hypertension. Luckily for us, Indian food has a tradition of healthy, wholesome, but tasty meals that go back thousands of years!

To help you enjoy tasty and healthy meals ideal for BP troubles, we’ve mapped out a high blood pressure diet plan for you, focusing on foods that are suitable for high BP patients. Below is a 7 day diet plan for high blood pressure with specific foods known to manage and lower blood pressure.

Breakfast Options for High Blood Pressure

The first meal of the day and also the most important! How you begin your day says a lot about your health. Therefore, you must have a high blood pressure diet menu chart prepared for you beforehand. Your diet menu should include:

A handful of roasted flax seeds (flax seeds are a super-food and extremely useful in lowering blood pressure) and sunflower seeds (high in nutrients).

A carrot or spinach paratha made with wheat flour with a side dish of curd. Spinach is rich in potassium (vital for maintaining blood pressure levels in the normal range), while carrots are a rich source of beta carotene, potassium, and Vitamin A. Carrot juice helps maintain normal blood pressure by regulating heart and kidney functions, and curd is a low-fat dairy that helps in lowering blood pressure.

If not a paratha, you can opt for a 2 egg omelet and a slice of brown bread. Eggs are high in protein, riboflavin, and selenium, and have a beneficial effect on blood pressure when consumed in moderation.

Mid-Morning Snacks for High Blood Pressure

Instead of munching on chips or some other packaged foods, fresh fruits are a great option for a mid-morning snack. Opt for:

Apples, Kiwis (help reduce both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure)

Bananas (low in sodium and rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure)

Guavas (rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, packed with potassium and soluble fibre)

Grapefruits (high in water content, Vitamin A, C, which helps to naturally lower blood pressure)

Oranges (packed with Vitamin C, which lowers the risk of developing high BP)

Lunch Options for Controlling Blood Pressure

Lunch is the first full daytime meal and can include meal options like:

Vegetable Brown Rice Pulav or Vegetable Oats Upma – Vegetables commonly added in pulav such as carrots and green beans are a rich source of potassium and are low in fat and high in fibre. Oats are high in fibre that helps lower blood pressure and improve digestion.

Cucumber, Carrot, Beetroot, And Onion Raita – Beetroot has a high nitric content that improves blood flow and relaxes the blood vessels. Onions contain quercetin that helps lower blood pressure. Cucumbers and carrots work effectively for regulating blood pressure.

Roti / Phulka – Made from wheat flour, whole-grain foods are a rich source of healthy nutrients, including fibre, potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and selenium, which reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Bhindi / Parval/ Bottle Gourd Sabzi – Bhindi or Okra is rich in magnesium and is a safe but effective way to lower blood pressure. Bottle gourd or Lauki is high in Vitamin C, K, and calcium and helps stabilize blood sugar levels and maintain blood pressure.

Dal – A staple diet in most Indian households, dal (especially moong dal) or lentils are protein-rich legumes that help reduce high blood pressure.

Salads – A simple salad of tomatoes, onions, and cucumber is a great accompaniment to your meal. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which has been shown to help reduce blood pressure.

Evening Snack:

For a healthy evening snack, try these options:

Green Tea / Tea / Coffee Without Sugar or a glass of Beetroot Juice – Green tea helps widen heart arteries, allowing the vessels to relax and allowing blood to flow more freely, thus helping maintain normal blood pressure levels.

Unsalted Puffed Rice – Puffed rice helps keep the sodium content low and regulates blood pressure levels.

Watermelon – Watermelons, in addition to fibres, lycopenes, Vitamin A, and potassium, also contain an amino acid called L-citrulline, which has proven to lower blood pressure.

Blood Pressure–Friendly Dinner Options

The last meal of the day should also be the lightest. Include a wholesome but light diet that will not only leave your stomach full but will also be easy to digest:

Roti / Phulka Made From Wheat Flour – Whole grains play an important role in maintaining and lowering blood pressure.

Mix Vegetables / Drumsticks / Palak – Green veggies are a rich source of potassium, drumsticks contain quercetin that naturally reduces blood pressure, and spinach is packed with heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate, and magnesium.

Dal / Curd / Dahi – Lentils, packed with proteins, and dahi – the ideal low-fat dairy product – are both useful in lowering blood pressure levels.

Before going to bed, have a glass of warm milk (preferably cow’s milk) and 4 soaked almonds. Eating almonds daily helps reduce blood pressure due to their high potassium content.This is a broad outline of how an Indian diet plan for high blood pressure can be charted, focusing on foods that lower blood pressure and maintaining normal blood pressure levels.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is to educate, spread awareness in relation to hypertension and other diseases to the public at large. The contents of this article are created and developed by BPinControl.in through its authors, which has necessary, authorisations, license, approvals, permits etc to allow usage of this articles on The Website. The views and opinions expressed in this article are views, opinions of the respective authors and are independently endorsed by doctors. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information in this article, The Website shall not be responsible, or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in this article whether arising from negligence or otherwise, or for any consequences arising therefrom. The content of this article is not a substitute for any medical advice. The Website shall not be held responsible or liable for any consequence arising out of reliance on the information provided in the article.