A dietitian has issued an urgent warning as four popular types of food and drink could cause your blood pressure to soar. Around one in three people in the UK are thought to be living with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, although many may not even be aware of this.
It is a condition that occurs when the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood.
Over time this can cause damage to the heart, blood vessels and other organs. It is also a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
While you might be more likely to develop high blood pressure due to your genetics and age, there are a number of lifestyle factors that can also affect your blood pressure. This includes diet.
Certain foods can raise your blood pressure while others can lower it. With this in mind, senior dietitian for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Victoria Taylor, revealed the worst foods to eat for hypertension.
She said: “If you have high blood pressure (hypertension), one of the tools you can use to help keep it under control is your diet.” Victoria referenced a diet developed in the 1990s, known as the DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension).
“It’s been shown to be helpful by numerous studies,” she said. Based on these findings she listed four types of food and drink to avoid.
Victoria caveated her advice saying: “You don’t necessarily need to completely exclude these foods but be mindful about how much you eat.”
Salty foods
NHS guidelines state that we should have no more than six grams of salt a day, which is about a teaspoon. Salt can be dangerous as it makes the body hold onto water, driving up blood pressure.
Victoria explained: “Most of the salt we eat is already in our food when we buy it in things like olives, crisps, sauces and pickles. It is also in processed meats like ham, bacon and sausages, as well as staples like bread and breakfast cereals.”
She therefore recommended checking food labels to look for low-salt options and cut back on high-salt foods. “Try to cut down on eating out and takeaway foods, too, and make your own lower-salt versions at home,” she added.
Sugary and fatty foods
Victoria noted that sugar and fat may not “directly” affect your blood pressure, but foods that are high in fat and sugar are high-calorie foods. She said: “Eating too much of them can lead to weight gain, which is linked to raised blood pressure.
“Plan to have healthy snacks like fruit or plain yoghurt if you get hungry between meals. Take something with you like a handful of nuts and dried fruit for when you are out and about.”
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol is known to raise your blood pressure She advised: “If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Too much can raise blood pressure and lead to weight gain over time.”
Government guidelines recommend drinking no more than 14 units per week. 14 units is equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.
Caffeine
Victoria added: “Caffeine can raise blood pressure but its effect is usually short lived and lessens when you drink it regularly. That means a moderate intake, four to five cups a day, should not be a problem for most people.
“However, some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others and drinking too much caffeine may affect blood pressure.” It is important to remember that caffeine is not only found in coffee and tea but it’s also in energy drinks, chocolate and soft drinks like colas.
If you are concerned about your blood pressure you should speak to your GP.