What is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure or hypertension happens when the blood pressure is higher than normal. The blood pressure of a person changes according to a person’s mood, food and activities.
If a person experiences an adrenal rush, the blood pressure may increase and consistently having blood pressure above the normal range may be diagnosed with hypertension or high blood pressure.
High blood pressure or hypertension may lead to certain health conditions like stroke and other heart diseases.
Blood pressure is measured in mmHg (millimetres of mercury) and has two types—systolic and diastolic pressure.
Systolic pressure is when the heart pushes the blood out, and diastolic pressure is when the heart tends to rest between beats.
A person is considered to have ideal blood pressure if they have 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure is when a person has 140/90 mmHg or higher. And a person is considered to have low blood pressure if they have a measurement lower than 90/60 mmHg.
High blood pressure can be a lifestyle disease. If a person is continuously exposed to stress with smoking and drinking habits, it can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure should be treated, or it can lead to certain organ diseases like heart and kidney illness.
Low blood pressure is relatively less common compared to high blood pressure. Low blood pressure can be a result of certain medications and dehydration.
There are prominent signs and symptoms if a person has hypertension. In fact, even the person will not be aware that they have the condition. Frequent diagnosis is the only way to identify if a person has hypertension.
13 Worst Foods for High Blood Pressure
There are certain foods to be avoided when a person is suffering from hypertension. And also, if you wish to avoid such a condition, these foods should be avoided.
Potato Chips
When we see potato chips, most of us cannot control the urge to taste them and end up eating an entire packet of chips. Potato chips are packed with salt and sodium content. They are fried in oil which adds another reason to stop consuming it.
Potatoes contain more carbohydrates, and one medium-sized potato contains about 34.8 grams of carbohydrates and 2.4 grams of fibre. These foods can be unhealthy and can increase the risk of hypertension and heart-related diseases when consumed regularly.
Canned soup
Canned soups contain some amount of nutrients, but they get removed when they undergo processing. Canned soups should be preserved well so they can be filled with salt.
Some canned soups may contain over half the level of the recommended salt content, which can increase the risk of hypertension.
Instead of consuming canned soups, you can go for alternative choices like homemade vegetable soups and black bean soup.
Some canned soups can be healthy, but daily consumption can cause significant health illnesses. So it is better to go for alternatives.
Pizza
Pizzas are finger-licking, and most of us could not say no to the food. Pizza can cause health conditions when consumed on a daily basis.
A piece of pizza contains 272 calories and is loaded with salt and carbohydrates. When consumed, they can increase the calorie intake. They contain more saturated fat and salt, which constitutes hypertension.
French Fries
French fries are basically potato fries that are fried to perfection. French fries are usually frozen food which is fried. These foods taste so good that a person can never say no to them.
Unfortunately, they do not contain any nutrients and are filled with salt and saturated fats. They contain empty calories and do not quench a body’s nutritional value.
According to research conducted by Harvard Medical School, men and women consuming four or more servings of French fries increase the risk of having blood pressure by 17%.
Soda
Soda or carbonated drinks contain more sugars and empty calories. A Can of soda contains no essential nutrients and only sugar.
Soda drinks can increase the risk of hypertension, and the sugar content in the drink can lead to diabetes. It is advised to avoid any kind of soda drinks.
Deli Meats
Deli meats are pepperonis, bacon, sausage, salami, pastrami, ham, turkey, bologna and other varieties of red meats and chicken.
These meats should be preserved properly, and for preservation, salt is required. However, these meat contains nutritional value depending on the cuts.
Bacon
Bacon is salted-cured red meat and is cut to lean meat. The meat is made from belly fat and contains tons of salt. The salt content in the bacon gives another reason to avoid it if you have hypertension.
Alcohol
Alcohol is mostly used for de-stressing, and most of us cannot say no to it. But overconsumption of alcohol can lead to hypertension. It is advised to limit the consumption of alcohol to increase the risk of hypertension.
Salad dressing
Salad dressing is a sauce that is used to garnish salads. These salad dressings can increase the palatability of the salad. Most of us think these dressings are healthy, but they contain more fructose and corn syrup.
These sugary-rich diets can lead to diabetes, obesity and other heart-related diseases. If you have high blood pressure, it is recommended to avoid these foods.
Donuts
Donuts are leavened dough which is usually deep fried with added sugars. These foods should not be consumed daily, and consumption should be limited per week.
The added sugar and deep-fried foods can increase the risk of hypertension, obesity and other cardiovascular diseases.
Fast Foods
Fast foods kindle our hunger sensation and make us want to eat them. Fast foods are usually fried foods and contain more salt, oil and saturated fats.
These fast foods are only calorie bombs that can shoot up your calorie level while consuming just one food. These foods will be loaded with fat and salt.
When they are consumed too much, it can lead to many health conditions like hypertension, obesity and other cardiovascular diseases.
Frozen Dinner
Frozen foods are easy, but the nutritional value in the food is low when compared to fresh foods. To preserve these foods, salt is required.
Eating foods that are packed with sodium can increase the risk of hypertension and lead to other health problems.
Chinese takeout
Chinese takeout is a dish from Chinese cuisine that is packed and eaten somewhere else. These foods are loaded with salt and sugar to keep them palatable and the food to taste good for a long time.
Consumption of such foods can lead to hypertension and, when consumed often, can silently shoot up blood pressure.
Conclusion
Foods like pizza, french fries, donuts, soda, canned soups, potato chips, fast foods and frozen foods can be worth your calories but not worth your health.
Overconsumption of such foods can lead to significant complications like hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
Sadly, when consuming these foods, they silently increase your blood pressure, and the only way to find it is by diagnosis. Prevention is better than cure. So, avoid the consumption of such foods to prevent complications.
