- Hypertension
- What Is High Blood Pressure?
- Lifestyle Changes
- What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Lower Blood Pressure?
- Medications
- What Medications Treat High Blood Pressure?
- Guide
The top drinks for lowering blood pressure include water, fruit juices (pomegranate, prune, cranberry, cherry), vegetable juice (tomato, raw beet), tea (black, green), and skim milk.
Diet changes are part of managing high blood pressure. This can include making healthy beverage choices. The top drinks for lowering blood pressure include:
- Water
- Fruit juices
- Pomegranate
- Prune
- Cranberry
- Cherry
- Vegetable juice
- Tea
- Skim milk
What Is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition in which the force of blood pumping through the arteries is consistently too high. When this occurs, the walls of the arteries are extended beyond their normal limit, which can lead to damage and scarring and put people at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers:
- Systolic blood pressure (the first/top number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats
- Diastolic blood pressure (the second/bottom number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats
High, elevated, and normal blood pressure is usually defined in the following ranges:
- <strong>High blood pressure (hypertension) is 140/90 mmHg or more
- Elevated blood pressure levels between 120/80 and 139/89 are considered prehypertension and mean a person is at higher risk for developing high blood pressure
- Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg
What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Lower Blood Pressure?
Lifestyle changes are typically the first-line treatment for hypertension, such as:
- Eating a balanced diet that low in salt
- Limiting or avoiding alcohol
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Exercising regularly
- Managing stress
- Not smoking
- Getting enough sleep
- Taking medications as directed
What Medications Treat High Blood Pressure?
When medications are needed to treat hypertension, they may include:
- ACE inhibitors
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Peripherally acting alpha-adrenergic blockers
- Diuretics (“water pills”)
- Angiotensin II antagonists (ARBs)
- Vasodilators
- Centrally-acting alpha adrenergics
- Renin inhibitors
- Combination medicines, made up of two or more different kinds of blood pressure medicines
References
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/high-blood-pressure-medicines-help-you
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043661816307848
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21409897/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-020-02299-w
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.1066
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27278926/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25137341/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49823607_A_systemic_review_and_meta-analysis_of_elevated_blood_pressure_and_consumption_of_dairy_foods
FAQs
1. Skim milk. Skim milk contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium — minerals that are known to help decrease blood pressure. Some studies have shown that drinking 1 to 2 glasses of skim milk a day can help decrease blood pressure.
What is the number one drink to lower blood pressure? ›
1. Skim milk. Skim milk contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium — minerals that are known to help decrease blood pressure. Some studies have shown that drinking 1 to 2 glasses of skim milk a day can help decrease blood pressure.
What is the one breakfast drink that lowers your blood pressure? ›
1. Low-Fat or Nonfat Milk. Raise your glass to milk. It's high in phosphorus, potassium and calcium—three nutrients associated with healthy blood pressure—and it's fortified with vitamin D, a vitamin that promotes healthy blood pressure.
How can I bring my BP down quickly? ›
There are a few tips you can try to lower your blood pressure immediately without medication:
- A 60-second trick to lower blood pressure immediately is to take a deep breath and try to relax. ...
- Drink some water. ...
- Try some mild physical activity. ...
- Eat some dark chocolate. ...
- Take a cold shower. ...
- Get some sun.
What is the best hot drink to lower blood pressure? ›
Meta-regression findings suggested that drinking more tea over extended periods of 3 months or more resulted in greater decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The review also found that green tea reduced blood pressure more than black tea. Both black and green tea contain caffeine.
What is the number one fruit to lower blood pressure? ›
The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.
What can you drink every night to lower blood pressure? ›
What beverage choices might help lower blood pressure?
- Apple juice. A recent scientific review showed that drinking apple juice in moderation provides heart-healthy advantages. ...
- Beet juice. ...
- Milk (low-fat or fat-free) ...
- Pomegranate juice. ...
- Water.
What is the best natural medicine for high blood pressure? ›
Ginger. Ginger is incredibly versatile and a staple in alternative medicine. People have used it for centuries to improve many aspects of heart health, including circulation, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. Human studies have shown that taking ginger supplements may reduce blood pressure.
What tea lowers blood pressure fast? ›
Green tea. Green tea is a popular beverage made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It contains bioactive compounds called catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which have been associated with various health benefits, including blood pressure reduction.
What are the 5 worst foods for blood pressure? ›
5 bad-news foods for blood pressure
- – Grapefruit juice. Grapefruit contains compounds that may interfere with how your body absorbs some drugs, including some blood pressure medicines. ...
- – Black licorice. ...
- Processed meats. ...
- – Sugary drinks. ...
- – Baked goods.
Combination drug therapy — If a person has very high blood pressure (eg, 160/100 mmHg or higher), then combination therapy with two drugs at the same time rather than monotherapy (treatment with a single medication) may be the initial step in blood pressure treatment.
What foods lower BP quickly? ›
No single food can quickly lower blood pressure. However, some foods may help a person lower their blood pressure in general. These include anthocyanin-rich berries , bananas and other foods containing potassium, beetroot juice and beets, leafy green vegetables , and more.
How to treat hypertension immediately? ›
Methods such as breathing exercises, lying down flat, cold showers, and drinking water can sometimes help to quickly reduce your blood pressure at home. But when your blood pressure of 180/120 or above causes symptoms, it's not safe to wait at home. This is a medical emergency that needs attention.
How to control high BP at home immediately? ›
10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
- Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. ...
- Exercise regularly. ...
- Eat a healthy diet. ...
- Reduce salt (sodium) in your diet. ...
- Limit alcohol. ...
- Get a good night's sleep. ...
- Reduce stress. ...
- Monitor your blood pressure at home and get regular checkups.
What to do immediately when BP is down? ›
Otherwise, treatment depends on the cause of your low blood pressure and your symptoms. When you have symptoms from low blood pressure, sit or lie down right away. Then raise your feet above heart level. Severe hypotension caused by shock is a medical emergency.
What can I drink in the morning to lower my blood pressure? ›
Some drinks that may help lower blood pressure in the morning include beetroot juice, tomato juice, and certain types of tea. Blood pressure is the force a person's blood exerts on the walls of the arteries as it is pumped by the heart. The arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart around the body.
Do bananas lower blood pressure? ›
The Bottom Line. Bananas are a nutritious and tasty option for helping lower blood pressure. Loaded with essential nutrients like potassium, fiber and vitamin C, bananas offer several benefits for cardiovascular health. Their potassium content counterbalances sodium intake, promoting blood vessel relaxation.
Does lemon water lower blood pressure? ›
Studies have found that the flavonoids in lemon help lower your blood pressure as well. Additional research showed this effect enhances the heart-healthy benefits of physical activity.