Top 10 foods that lower blood pressure naturally. Nature's best super foods

is  one of the most powerful ways to lower your blood pressure naturally. There are super foods  so powerful that they can not only reduce your blood pressure in two weeks, but defend every part of your body from disease. 

What makes one food superior to another? In surveying the nutritional literature, there is an agreement that the health benefit of a food is defined by the Principle of Nutrition - the more different nutritional elements the food has per calorie, the better:

Health = Nutrition / Calories.

You want as many vitamins and minerals and as few toxins in your calorie allotment as possible. As a high blood pressure sufferer, you want your food to contain elements that balance sodium, and you want to reduce sodium as much as possible, preferrably under 1000 mg of daily intake

How much nutrition is there in our food?

Much less than our great-grandmas got in theirs! 80% of us don't get enough of vitamin B6, more than half lack iron, magnesium and calcium. Food is produced in industrialized way - quantity, not quality, defines the profit.

• We don’t let the earth replenish itself naturally, so poor soil produces plants with fewer nutrients than they should have.
• To fend off pests, produce is sprayed generously with pesticides, up to 12 times in its lifetime.
• Nutrients get destroyed in transportation and storage.

What’s left on your plate? Even nature’s perfect foods are almost empty.

As a result, even a balanced diet food is deficient in nutrients. That's why craving and overeating has become the norm – after getting empty calories, cells still crave vitamins and minerals.

Remember: Health = Nutrition / Calories.

Based on this formula, sugar and most fats are the worst offenders. Let’s look at the list of champions- the top healthy foods that lower blood pressure.

#1. Sprouts are champions in the top healthy food competition

Broccoli, Wheatgrass, Alfalfa, Sunflower, Beans

Sprouts are the most economical and nutritious food.

At the sprouting stage of growth, plants have the highest concentration of proteins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, anti-carcinogens, vitamins and minerals. Broccoli sprouts prevent cancer. They raise level of body's own protective enzymes that work on many kinds of precancerous cells, according to John Hopkins University scientists.

Sprouts contain an antioxidant called glucoraphanin that has demonstrated its ability to lower blood pressure and risks of stoke and heart attack. In the experiments, rats were fed a glucoraphanin-rich diet. It  lowered inflammatory response and improved cardiovascular health as demonstrated by decreased blood pressure and decreased inflammation in the heart, arteries and kidneys.

Home grown organic sprouts are the best. If you grow them at home, they get to your table without losing any nutritional value. Did you know that leafy vegetables lose 50% of vitamins and minerals within two days of harvest? From 15-30 cents worth of seeds, you can grow a pound of fresh, delicious, organic sprouts or leafy greens.

#2. Green leafy vegetables provide the most vitamins at low cost

Kale, Swiss chard, dandelion, bok choy, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens.

Green leafy vegetables provide  completely absorbable, balanced protein packaged together with antioxidants that lower blood pressure. For very few calories, you also get lots of vitamins, minerals, and all sorts of enzymes. These Kale recipes and healthy greens recipes will help you start eating more greens.

You may resist the idea of eating more greens because they just taste bitter. Bitterness is the demonstration of the presence of antioxidants. Start small, and put some greens into your salads and smoothies. After eating greens for about two weeks, your taste buds readjust themselves. Many people actually start craving greens - their body, given a choice, craves super foods rather than empty food.

#3. Herbs that lower blood pressure don't just spice up your meal - they also fight osteoporosis and cancer

Oregano, cilantro, parsley, thyme, peppermint, turmeric, sage, ginger.

Can your soup or tea help you to boost your memory or heal your sore throat? Yes, if you add sage, a natural memory enchancer with powerful anti-inflammatory qualitites. Can your salad protect your bones and eyes? Absolutely, if you use parsley. The benefits of herbs for the human health are remarkable!

#4. Vegetables

Broccoli, rapini, cabbage, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, beets, onion, garlic.

Did you know that 100 calories of broccoli have twice as much protein as beef?

Cauliflower doesn't get as much attention as orange, yet one cup of it provides daily value of Vitamin C, in addition to all anti-cancer and liver-detox benefits. All this with no sugar.

Garlic is most famous for its potent anti-inflammatory and antiviral benefits, but it's ability to fight coronary heart disease by unplugging arteries is also amazing.

#5. Fruit is the ultimate healthy snack and a part of the  DASH diet.

Apples, plums, pears, banana, pomegranate, mango, etc.

Fruit provide fructose mixed with a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, and critically important minerals.  Apple cider vinegar is known as one of the top remedies to lower your high blood pressure.

Dried plums, also known as prunes, are one of the top two antioxidant foods. Pomegranate is a top runner up for the antioxidant crown,too. One banana a day can provide a dose of potassium, helping to reduce blood pressure and fend off cardiovascular disease.

#6. Nuts and seeds provide protein and healthy fats

Almond (and almond milk) , Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pine nuts Almonds, for example, are very high in good protein, they help against diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This small potent nut is capable of lessening after-meal surges of blood sugar, lowering cholesterol and protecting against arteriosclerosis.

Flax, chia, sesame, pumpkin seeds

I add ground flaxseed to my baking, dehydrated crackers and healthy smoothies. Not only it acts as an egg replacer and increases vitamins absorbtion, but also provides enough omega-3 for a day to keep your brain going.

#7. Whole Grains and beans provide protein and fibre

Quinoa, oats, brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and beans

Quinoa is an excellent protein-rich food. It consists of about 20% of complete protein; it is high in lysine and is a good source of iron, B vitamins and potassium. You want Potassium in your diet to balance harmful effects that extra Sodium does to your blood pressure. Remember,  there are two ways to reduce impact of Sodium on your blood pressure: Reduce Sodium and Increase Potassium and Magnesium in your diet. 

#8. Berries come packed in antioxidants

Blueberries, cranberry, acai

Cranberry provides potent antibacterial and antiviral benefits - it can fight e-coli, boost defence against herpes virus, and increase effectiveness of drugs against H.Pilori. It shows promise as a natural alternative to antibiotics. It's ability to fight bladder infections was known for centuries.

Blueberry is probably the most advertised berry. It provides an array of health benefits due to its antioxidant content.

#9. Seaweeds are #1 in minerals competition

Kelp, kombu, nori, arame, wakame, chlorella

Chlorella is nature's top energy food. It provides all essential amino acids in perfect ratios, and is often used to prevent or curb the spread of cancer, enhance immunity, promote a good balance of bacteria in the gut, and lower blood cholesterol.
Kombu increases digestability of beans; it also acts as an antidote to excess sodium consumption and it is known to reduce blood cholesterol and hypertension. Use kombu in a miso soup. Unassuming miso soup is a powerful natural remedy to many health issues.

#10 Fats

Flax oil, Olive oil, hemp oil.

It seems counterintuitive to place fats into top ten healthy foods, but you absolutely need some fat in your diet. Certain fats are vitally important for the body, both saturated and unsaturated. Omega-3 fats are essential to brain function. Saturated fats are needed to build cellular membranes throughout the whole body. Don’t exclude fats from your diet, but use moderation and choose the best. To lower your blood pressure, it is essential to switch to a low-fat diet. Aim for fats naturally present in foods, such as flax seed and avocado. Avoid all hydrogenated or trans fats, reduce saturated fat.

Add a teaspoon of flax or hemp oil to your salads or healthy smoothies. Some vitamins, for example, Vitamin A, are oil-soluble. In other words, your body will not absorb them unless they come with some form of oil. Adding flax oil or flaxseed to your smoothie will not alter the taste, but increase nutritional value of it.

…Wondering where your pork chops and lean chicken went? Calorie per calorie, these plant foods come up superior to all meat or dairy products.

How can you start using these top 10 healthy foods to lower your blood pressure?

Start cooking from my list of recipes! All healthy recipes on my website help to lower blood pressure naturally. I add healthy food recipes every week, and I make sure they are easy, quick and tasty. 

This week when you do your grocery shopping, use my checklist of healthy foods. Why not commit to trying one new food per week?