HIGH BLOOD pressure can be lowered by making certain dietary changes such as cutting down on salt. It could also be worth adding other foods to your diet that contain blood pressure-lowering properties. There is one zesty fruit in particular that has been shown to reduce hypertension.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be caused by eating an unhealthy diet that is high in salt, not getting enough exercise, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. The condition can lead to heart attacks and strokes, as well as other health problems if left untreated, so it’s vital to take steps to lower it if your blood pressure is high. As well as improving your diet, exercising more, cutting down on alcohol and quitting smoking, it may also be worth adding certain foods to your diet that contain blood pressure-lowering properties. One such fruit which has been found to help lower blood pressure, is the orange.

According to dietitian Juliette Kellow, oranges contain a phytonutrient called hesperidin which has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

“Research shows oranges have many phytonutrients and not just in the fruit and juice. One in particular, hesperidin, resides in the zest and inner pith.”

Medical website webmd also noted a study which revealed drinking two glasses of orange juice a day could lower blood pressure.

The study, which was funded by orange juice brand Tropicana, tested 25 patients with heart disease and partly clogged arteries.

For the first two weeks of the study, the patients drank two glasses a day of an orange-flavoured drink fortified with vitamin C, following which their blood pressure dropped “a bit”.

During the next two weeks, the patients drank plain not-from-concentrate orange juice, resulting in blood pressure dropping a little more.

For the next two weeks the patients drank orange juice fortified with vitamin C and for the two weeks after that they drank orange juice fortified with both vitamin C and vitamin E.

At the end of the final two weeks, most patients had blood pressure within the normal range.

At the end of the study the patients stopped drinking orange juice for two weeks, following which their blood pressure started to rise again.

“High blood pressure isn’t good for anybody. It’s a particular problem for people with clogged arteries. Blood pressure drugs help, but a good diet can make a big difference,” said webmd.

“Undiagnosed or untreated, high blood pressure can damage other organs, such as as the kidneys and the eyes,” added Kellow.

“Avoiding salt is the first line of nutritional defence against high blood pressure, along with eating a plant-based diet rich in fibre and antioxidants.”

In particular, Kellow recommends eating plenty of yoghurt, berries, bananas, root vegetables, avocados and leafy greens.

Fish and shellfish, mushrooms, tomatoes, olive oil, spices and squash may also help to lower blood pressure.

“There aren’t any noticeable symptoms [of high blood pressure], so it’s a good idea to have it measured regularly,” Kellow said.

Source: Express UK