What Are the Top Drinks to Lower Blood Pressure?

Drinks to lower blood pressure are rich in nutrients and low in sodium and fats.

Your blood pressure refers to the force or pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries (blood vessels carrying blood from the heart to other organs and tissues) by the blood flowing in them. When your blood pressure is higher than normal, this condition is called hypertension or high blood pressure. Learn about high blood pressure and the best drinks to lower blood pressure below.

Your blood pressure reading is represented by two numbers, systolic and diastolic.

• The first number, called systolic blood pressure, refers to the blood pressure recorded, while your heart actively pumps blood or contracts.
• Diastolic blood pressure refers to the blood pressure, while your heart relaxes between heartbeats.

A normal blood pressure number is less than 120/80 mmHg.

When blood pressure remains persistently high, it can increase the risk of various diseases, such as heart attacks, stroke, and abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias).

Diet plays a crucial role in managing blood pressure. If you are at risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) or have been diagnosed with the condition, your doctor will advise you on lifestyle modifications and medications to lower your blood pressure (BP).

Your doctor may recommend a DASH diet (which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is low in fat and cholesterol and rich in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, to control your blood pressure. A healthy diet alone can lower high blood pressure by as much as 11 mm Hg.

Some foods and drinks may raise your blood pressure, while others can lower your blood pressure. Your diet can have a great impact on maintaining a healthy blood pressure without needing to take blood pressure-lowering medications, so it's best to start with a healthy diet. Always check with your doctor first before trying a new diet.

Drinks to lower blood pressure have the following characteristics:

• They are rich in magnesium, calcium, potassium, protein, and fiber.
• They are low in sodium.
• They have low or no amounts of fats, particularly saturated fats.

Such drinks can be made easily at home using local ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables. However, avoid adding salt and sugar to these drinks to get their maximum benefits. You may add herbs or low-calorie sweeteners to enhance their taste.

While making fruit or vegetable juice to lower blood pressure, get even more fiber in your diet by taking fiber supplements for added advantages.

Because blood-pressure-lowering drinks are rich in certain minerals (such as potassium), you must get your doctor's approval before consuming them, especially if you have other underlying health conditions, such as kidney diseases, or are taking medications.

The most effective drinks to lower blood pressure include:

1. Orange juice: It's high in potassium, which can lower blood pressure.
2. Pomegranate juice: Packed with potassium, antioxidants, and heart-healthy nutrients, pomegranate juice reduces blood pressure.
3. Banana smoothie in low-fat yogurt or skim milk: Bananas are also a great source of blood pressure-lowering potassium.
4. Low-fat or skim milk: The vitamin D in low-fat and skim milk helps promote healthy blood pressure.
5. Unsalted tomato juice: This improves blood pressure as well as serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
6. Beetroot juice: This is rich in nitrates, which may help to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
7. Pumpkin juice: High in potassium to keep blood pressure in check, pumpkin also is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which help to prevent heart disease.
8. Broccoli soup: Cruciferous veggies, like broccoli, can lower systolic blood pressure in those with high blood pressure.
9. Hibiscus tea: Looking for a tea to reduce blood pressure? Two cups of hibiscus tea a day significantly reduced blood pressure in study participants. Its anthocyanins and antioxidants may help prevent blood vessels from narrowing.
10. Green tea and black tea: Both green and black tea have antihypertensive properties because they can relax blood vessels.
11. Berry juice or smoothie in low-fat yogurt or skim milk: Berries are high in heart-healthy antioxidants and may help to lower blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
12. Apple juice: Due to its high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols, apple juice can reduce cholesterol and blood vessel inflammation. Unfiltered, unsweetened apple juice or apple cider are best.

Drinks to avoid when you have high blood pressure or are trying to manage high blood pressure include the following:

1. Alcohol. Consuming a lot of alcoholic beverages is known to raise your BP and also make blood pressure medication less effective. On the other hand, studies show that when people who consume a significant amount of alcohol then stop drinking it, they see a dramatic decrease in their BP.
2. Sodas and drinks with added sugar. Doctors typically warn against consuming soda and sugary drinks due to their sugar content because added sugar can also elevate blood pressure.
3. Coffee and caffeinated drinks. Drinking two or more cups a day of coffee when you already have high blood pressure doubles your risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Energy drinks with tons of sugar and caffeine aren't great for your blood pressure either, so they're best to avoid.

Incorporate these into your diet to keep your blood pressure down:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Potassium
• Coenzyme Q10 (coQ10)
• L-arginine
• Melatonin
• Garlic (fresh or extract)
• Cocoa flavonoids

You can manage high blood pressure by following these tips:

1. Maintain a healthy weight through regular exercise.
2. Eat whole plant-based foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
3. Manage stress through meditation, exercise, and getting enough restful sleep.
4. Prefer low-fat dairy products.
5. Consume skinless poultry and fish.
6. Avoid red meat.
7. Avoid sugary foods and beverages, which raise blood pressure, and instead consume healthier drinks to lower blood pressure.
8. Limit your sodium intake (no more than 1500 mg a day for people with high blood pressure).
9. Avoid fatty and processed foods, such as fries, chips, cookies, cakes, sauces that are high in sodium, and deep-fried foods.
10. Switch to vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, peanut, and safflower oil instead of saturated fats, including animal fats.
11. Do not smoke or consume tobacco in any form.
12. Limit or stop alcohol.
13. Take your prescribed blood pressure medications as directed and see your doctor for regular checkups.

It's also helpful to have your blood pressure monitor at home so you can note your patterns from one day to the next. Keep your doctor updated on any significant changes or whether your diet or blood pressure medications don’t seem to be helping enough.

What is the number one drink to lower blood pressure?

Water is one of the best drinks to lower blood pressure. Staying hydrated is an important part of our overall health and it also affects blood pressure. Being dehydrated can cause blood pressure to rise but drinking water after dehydration can help get it back to a normal level.

Is vodka good for lowering blood pressure?

There is no best alcohol for high blood pressure, including vodka, as alcohol tends to raise blood pressure. Repeated binge drinking raises blood pressure long term and having more than a few drinks in one sitting raises blood pressure short term. Drinking alcohol regularly can cause weight gain, which also raises blood pressure.

Does lemon water bring your blood pressure down?

A popular morning drink for high blood pressure and other health benefits, water with lemon boosts metabolism and helps you feel full, which could help you lose weight. Lemon is high in potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure. According to a study, lemon ingestion in combination with daily walks can bring down your blood pressure.

What kind of water should I drink for high blood pressure?

Drinking 6 to 8 cups of plain water daily is associated with a lower risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). Generally, it’s best to avoid water with added sodium or sugar, which can raise BP.

Which juice is good for high blood pressure?

There are many juices that are good for high blood pressure. Thanks to various nutrients and health benefits, these juices are known for lowering blood pressure: apple juice, beet juice, orange juice, pomegranate juice, pumpkin juice, and many berry juices.