Nutrition Plan for People with High Blood Pressure
Definitions:

Blood Pressure: with each beat of your heart your blood is bumped out into your blood
vessels to carry it to all your body parts. The pressure made inside your arteries with
each heart beat is called blood pressure.

Measurement of Blood Pressure: blood pressure is measured by a device by two
numbers.
- First number: is called systolic blood pressure which is the amount of pressure
created against your arteries walls each time your heart beats and squeezes blood.
- Second number: is called diastolic blood pressure which is the amount of pressure
created inside your arteries when your heart is at rest (between heart beats).

Readings of Blood Pressure:

Normal Blood Pressure = 120 / 80


High Blood Pressure: when blood pressure is 140 / 90 or above
The stage of blood pressure between 120 – 139 is called Pre-Hypertension (above the
80 - 89
normal level and lower than high blood pressure level). This stage if not treated will
move to have blood pressure stage.
Systolic blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure
High Blood Pressure affects your heart, kidneys and eyes, and may cause stroke. It it’s called
“silent killer”. You will be at risk to develop high blood pressure, if you are obese, have
diabetes, smoke, drink alcohol and have sedentary lifestyle. If you are salt (sodium) sensitive
and consume large amount of salt you may develop high blood pressure. It is very important to
keep the blood pressure controlled to avoid serious health problems.
The Nutrition Plan for High Blood Pressure aims to control blood pressure and reduce the risks
of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, fluid retention and other diseases.
Tips to reduce the risks of high blood pressure and to keep it controlled within the
recommended range:
 Reduce body weight, if obese. Weight loss helps to control blood pressure, and lower
the risks of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke. Weight loss is the most
important step for controlling blood pressure.
 Practice regular, but moderate exercise; such as brisk walking or jogging for 30-45
minutes. Avoid vigorous exercise.
 Avoid smoking (active and passive) and alcohol, as these contribute to high blood
pressure and cause other serious health problems.
 Monitor your blood pressure regularly and check your blood sugar and lipids. Seek
medical help in case of elevation of blood pressure, blood sugar and lipids.
 Take your medications regularly, if prescribed and don’t take any supplements without
your doctor approval.
 Control stress by managing your time and practicing relaxation. Consuming wellbalanced and healthy meals help to manage stress.
 Eat well-balanced meals that include:
-
-
-
Consume regular meals that are low in saturated fat, Trans fat, cholesterol, refined
sugar and rich in fiber, antioxidants, calcium and potassium.
Low fat or nonfat milk or laban or yogurt. These provide calcium, vitamin D and
protein.
Limit foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fat such as egg yolk, butter, fatty meat,
animal fat, organ meat, full cream dairy products, ghee, shortening, palm oil,
coconut oil and margarine.
Consume a minimum five servings of fruits and vegetables to provide potassium,
fiber and antioxidants. Choose whole grains and cereals rather than refined
products.
Consume less fried and greasy foods to reduce caloric and fat intake. Bake or grill or
steam your foods than frying it.
Cut down on sweets, sugar, and fat and substitute sweets with fresh fruits.
Note:
Consuming foods rich in potassium such as oranges, banana, tomato helps to control blood
pressure, but consult your doctor and nutrition expert if you have kidney failure.
 Reduce salt intake and be salt cautious:
-
-
Replace salt with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, garlic, onion; to give flavor and taste to
food than adding salt.
Do not add salt while preparing meals and keep salt shaker away from dining table.
Read label for Salt or Sodium when shopping. People consume a lot of salt from
process and canned food and this salt is called ‘Hidden Salt’.
Avoid: Ketchup, salty dressings, salty cheese, chips, canned/processed meat, olives,
pickles, salted sauces, salted crackers and salted popcorns. Order your food without
dressings or sauces added.
Request low salt meals when dining out and ask food services staff about the
ingredients and if they add salt, knowing that most of fast-food contains a lot of salt.
Nutrition Guide for Low Salt and Low Fat Meals to
help control Blood Pressure
Food Group
Meat, Chicken,
and Fish
Dairy
Products
Egg
Fruit
Vegetable
Starches
Cereals
Bread
Soup
Drinks
Others
Fat
Avoid
Smoked/canned meat, sausages,
luncheon meat, canned fish, dried
fish, sardines and salted tuna.
Full fat dairy products, cream cheese
and salted cheese.
Allowed
Lean beef or lamb, skinless poultry, fish, shrimp and
dried beans, lentils and peas.
Nonfat or Low Fat milk, laban, yogurt, labnah and
low salt cheese
More than 1 egg yolk 3 times a week.
Egg white can be eaten every day.
Canned fruits in heavy syrup.
Fresh fruit and unsweetened fruit juices.
Canned vegetables, canned vegetable
Fresh or frozen vegetables
juice, canned tomato juice. Salads
with cheese or olives.
Salted dishes, such as potato, rich,
and pasta. Chips, crackers, salted Rice, potatoes and macaroni in all kinds
popcorns and macaroni with cheese.
None
Pancake, baked goods, waffle mixed
with salt.
Canned soups that contain salt,
bouillon cubes and soup condiments.
It is advised to reduce the intake of
sweetened juices/drinks/ regular
sodas.
Salt, tomato sauce, ketchup, pickles,
olive, dips, salted nuts, salted
popcorn, salted oregano, and any
salted sauces, dressings, salted seeds,
baking powder, spaghetti sauce, soy
sauce, dried tomato, barbecue sauce,
gravy, steak sauce, onion salt, garlic
salt and mayonnaise.
Butter, ghee, palm oil, coconut oil
animal fat
Unsalted breakfast cereals (hot/cold). Preferred
whole grains.
Unsalted bread and baked goods.
Homemade soup with no salt added.
Regular or decaffeinated tea or coffee and diet
drinks.
Herbs, spices, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, unsalted
nuts, vanilla, cocoa, unsalted popcorn, green
oregano.
Corn oil, olive oil, canola oil and sunflower oil, but
use in moderation
Low Salt Condiments to be used
Artificial sweeteners
Unsalted ketchup
Cinnamon
Cocoa
Mint
Vanilla extract
Anise seeds
Fresh or dried parsley
Fresh green or red pepper
White, red, black pepper
Lime / lemon juice
Saffron
Green oregano
Vinegar
Garlic
Nut meg
Tarragon
Sage
Caraway seeds
Bay leaf
Basil
Unsalted mustard
Mustard seeds
Unsalted Onion Juice
Unsalted meat/chicken broth
Curry
Cumin
Cardamom
Unsalted pickles
Onion
Notes:
 Read the label on the spices’ container to know the ingredients and make
sure that there is no Salt included.
 40% of salt is sodium. The less salt you add to your food the lower sodium
you consumed. Limiting sodium intake is an excellent step to control your
blood pressure.
Meal Plan
Breakfast:
1 cup of any unsweetened fruit juice. Avoid salted tomato, or canned vegetable juice.
1 cup of breakfast cereal (hot/cold) or 2 slices whole wheat bread.
1 egg with no salt added or 2 slices of unsalted low fat cheese or 2 tablespoons low fat
Labnah.
Tea or coffee, use less or no sugar.
1 cup low fat or non fat milk.
Lunch or Dinner:
120 grams (4 ounces) cooked lean meat or skinless chicken or grilled fish. Cooked
unsalted legumes such as lentils or beans can substitute the meat.
1 Cup rice or potato (baked or steamed) or macaroni or 2 slices of whole wheat bread.
1 Cup cooked vegetables.
1 Cup salad, with no dressing. Lemon juice or vinegar can be added.
1 serving fresh fruit or 1 cup unsweetened fruit juice.
1 cup low fat or non fat milk or yogurt or laban.
1 teaspoon olive oil or corn oil or sunflower oil.
Snacks:
Fresh fruits, unsweetened fruit juice, vegetables, low fat or nonfat milk or yogurt or
laban, unsweetened whole grain cereals, green tea, decaffeinated tea or coffee, low fat
fruit yogurt, low fat milk pudding.
Note:
Overweight people with high blood pressure are advised to follow their diet plan as discussed
with their nutrition experts. They need to consume their meals by the defined food portions to
lose excess weight.