What To Eat to Help Raise Low Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the amount of force or pressure exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries. The normal blood pressure reading for most adults is 120/80 mmHg or lower. However, if it falls below 90/60 mmHg, it is considered low blood pressure or hypotension. This medical condition prevents enough blood from reaching the vital organs in the body leading to lack of oxygen and nutrients. Blood pressure-related ailments are quite common in the modern day and age. This is mainly due to faulty lifestyle habits that most people follow these days. From eating unhealthy food to not sleeping properly, all factors lead to fluctuations in BP levels. While high BP is a problem, low BP is also equally dangerous. You can alter your diet and add some foods to naturally increase your BP levels. Here, we will talk about what to eat for low blood pressure. Read on to know more.

10 Best Foods That Are Good for Low Blood Pressure

The food that you consume has a direct impact on your heart health and blood pressure. Here are some healthy foods that can help you raise your BP levels naturally:

1. Water

Dehydration is one of the main causes of low blood pressure. Insufficient water levels reduce your blood volume which then lowers your blood pressure levels.

Doctors recommend people with low blood pressure should drink around 8 cups, about a half-gallon, of water per day. They should also limit their consumption of alcohol. 

2. Salty foods

Salt leads to water retention in your body. When there is more water in the body, there is more pressure on blood vessel walls and this can elevate your blood pressure. Indulge in some salt-rich foods like olives, canned tuna, homemade potato chips, etc and you will see a hike in your BP.

3. Raisins

Raisin is a wonder food that besides reducing hypertension, also effectively manages low blood pressure. You can soak about 10 pieces of raisins in water overnight. The next morning, you can eat them one by one on an empty stomach. Alternatively, you can also take water in which raisins were soaked.

4. Caffeine

Consuming caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee can lead to an increase in your heart rate along with a temporary spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure goes up within the first hour of having caffeine, with its effects lasting for about 2-3 hours.

So if you suddenly feel dizzy with a drop in your BP, have a cup of strong coffee and you would surely feel better. Here you must note that caffeine does not affect everyone in the same manner. For regular coffee drinkers, they may not experience any increase in their blood pressure after consuming caffeine.

5. Eggs

Meat is a great source of minerals, protein, and vitamins, but for people who do not consume red meat can consume eggs. Eggs are high in folate, vitamin B12, protein, and iron. A hard-boiled egg provides 9% of vitamin B12’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Further, it contains 6.3g of proteins, 22mcg of folate, and 1.2mg iron. Also, around 87g of water is present in raw egg whites.

Hence, including eggs in your diet is ideal to avoid anaemia, which leads to low blood pressure.

6. Pulses

People suffering from anaemia and hypotension must consume lentils as they are rich in iron and folate. A 100gm serving of lentils contains 3.3mg of iron and 181mcg of folate. For instance, a 100gm serving of canned baked beans contains 72gm of water. Therefore, if you have low blood pressure, it is advised to include lentils in your diet.

7. Paneer

Cottage cheese is a high protein food for low blood pressure. A cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 28gm of protein. Therefore, it is a good source of protein for vegetarians.

8. Broccoli

Broccoli is an excellent choice to include in diet for people with low blood pressure as this vegetable includes folate, iron, and high water content. One cup of raw broccoli contains about 89% of water, 2.5g protein and 78mcg of folate. Moreover, a cup of cooked broccoli contains roughly 1mg of iron along with 93g of water.

9. Fish

Salmon and other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are linked with health benefits for the heart. In fact, 100g of salmon contains 22gm proteins and 61mg sodium, both of which can keep your blood pressure in check. Moreover, doctors recommend consuming salty food items like smoked fish, which can increase blood pressure.

10. Red meat

Red meat is an excellent food for low blood pressure patients as it contains a high amount of protein and iron. Cooked red meat contains around 28gm to 36gm of protein per 100gm. Furthermore, a 100gm serving of red meat, such as ground beef, contains 2.7mg of iron.

Red meat like pork tenderloin and smoked beef has around 70gm of water. Thus, red meat intake is a must for people with low BP.

Foods to Avoid with Low Blood Pressure

Here is a list of the food items that can be harmful to people with low BP:

• Consumption of Alcohol

When you drink alcohol, it stimulates the heart rate and increases blood pressure for some time. However, it also causes dehydration and widening of the arteries (vasodilation), eventually lowering blood pressure.

• Carb-rich diet

Excessive amount of carbohydrates can further lower one’s blood pressure. This is because the body has to work harder to digest the food, resulting in a drop in blood pressure level.

• Milk

It contains calcium that slows down the absorption of iron, resulting in anaemia which can lead to low blood pressure.

• Foods with low sodium content

Foods with higher salt content are essential for hypotension patients.

• Tomatoes

Tomatoes can cause headaches and dizziness in people with low blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to limit its consumption.

• Other foods

Cold foods, such as melons, spinach, celery, green beans, red beans, onions, sunflower seeds, and kelp, can lower blood pressure further.

What else can be done to increase low blood pressure?

The following are tips that can help increase low blood pressure and ease the symptoms of the condition —

1. Crossing legs while sitting

Crossing legs at the knee level in the sitting position can increase blood pressure in no time. Although the results are temporary, it can help prevent a medical emergency.

2. Consume a balanced diet

A balanced diet will provide important nutrients to your body and prevent deficiencies. Lack of important nutrients can lower blood pressure and cause nausea, light-headedness, fatigue, and other symptoms. For example, low levels of vitamin B12 can cause anaemia, and this can lower your blood pressure.

3. Eating small frequent meals

Eating small meals every few hours may help prevent a sudden drop in blood pressure. Make it a point to drink more water and consume foods that help increase low blood pressure.

4. Wearing compression stockings

Compression stockings can improve blood circulation in the legs and prevent low blood pressure or hypotension. However, you must consult your healthcare provider before wearing these stockings.

5. Avoid standing up suddenly

Standing up suddenly and rapidly can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure and cause associated symptoms, such as dizziness, light-headedness, and fainting. If you stand up suddenly or rapidly after lying down, your heart may not be able to pump enough blood through the body to support this sudden change in position. This lack of blood leads to low blood pressure.

6. Avoid hot showers

Taking hot showers or spending more time in a warm environment can lower blood pressure and cause dizziness, light-headedness, and other symptoms of hypotension.

7. Elevate/Prop up your head when sleeping

Use extra pillows to elevate your head when sleeping. This will improve blood flow and also prevent sudden position changes.

8. Strength training

Moderate exercise and lower body strength training can help people with low blood pressure. Some low-stress exercises that may be safe for people with low blood pressure are cycling, rowing, and swimming. However, consult your doctor before starting a new workout routine.