18 Foods That May Help Support Healthy Blood Pressure

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Spinach

Spinach is a leafy green that fits easily into the vegetable-forward eating patterns encouraged by heart-healthy guidance. It is naturally low in sodium in its plain form and can add color and volume to meals without added salt.

What it provides

Spinach provides potassium, magnesium, folate, and dietary nitrate. Potassium is one of several nutrients emphasized in DASH-style eating guidance. The presence of these nutrients does not show that spinach by itself will produce a measurable change in blood pressure, and individual responses vary.Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium

Simple ways to eat it

Wilt a few handfuls into eggs, soups, or grain bowls at the end of cooking, blend raw spinach into a smoothie, or use it as the base of a salad dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Sodium note: Raw spinach and plain frozen spinach are naturally low in sodium. Creamed spinach and pre-seasoned frozen blends may contain substantially more sodium, so compare labels.

Good to know: Spinach is high in vitamin K. If you take warfarin, keep your vitamin K intake consistent and follow your clinician's instructions. Spinach is also high in oxalate, so people with a history of certain calcium oxalate kidney stones may need individualized guidance.Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin K; NIDDK: Eating, Diet, and Nutrition for Kidney Stones

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Beets

Beets are frequently discussed in the context of heart health because they are a notable source of dietary nitrate, and they add natural sweetness to meals without added salt or added sugar.

What it provides

Beets provide dietary nitrate, potassium, folate, and fiber. The body can convert dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood-vessel tone. Some studies of concentrated beetroot juice have reported modest blood-pressure changes, but results vary, and beetroot juice is not equivalent to simply eating a serving of beets. Treat beets as one food within a larger eating pattern rather than as a remedy.Source: Systematic review of beetroot juice and blood pressure (PMID 35369064)

Simple ways to eat it

Roast whole beets until tender and slice them into salads, grate them raw into slaws, or blend cooked beets into a smoothie with berries.

Sodium note: Plain fresh or plain cooked beets are naturally low in sodium. Pickled beets are usually packed in a salty brine, so compare labels.

Good to know: Beets may temporarily turn urine or stool pink or red. If the color is unexplained, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, contact a clinician rather than assuming it is from food. If you take medication for blood pressure, talk with your clinician before adding concentrated beet juice or beet supplements.

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Bananas

Bananas are a convenient fruit that provides potassium, requires little preparation, and can be eaten without added salt, making them an easy snack in a blood pressure-friendly eating pattern.

What it provides

Bananas provide potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber. Adequate potassium intake is part of the dietary guidance for healthy blood pressure, though a single food cannot carry an entire eating pattern.Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium

Simple ways to eat it

Eat one as a snack, slice one over oatmeal or plain yogurt, or freeze ripe bananas for smoothies.

Good to know: People with kidney disease or those taking certain medications may need to watch potassium intake and should follow their clinician's advice.Source: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium

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Kiwi

Kiwi is an easy way to add another serving of fruit to the day, and fruit intake is a core part of DASH-style eating patterns.

What it provides

Kiwi provides vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and vitamin K. Small clinical trials examining kiwi and blood pressure have produced mixed findings, so kiwi should be presented as a nutritious fruit rather than as proof of a blood-pressure-lowering effect.Sources: Kiwifruit trial reporting a reduction (PMID 25483553); Kiwifruit trial not showing improvement (PMID 24655490)

Simple ways to eat it

Halve it and scoop with a spoon, slice it over yogurt or oats, or dice it into a fruit salad.

Good to know: Kiwi can trigger allergic reactions in some people. People with latex allergy may also react to kiwi because certain fruit and natural-rubber-latex proteins can cross-react.Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Latex Allergy

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Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes add acidity and savory depth, which makes food taste more interesting when you are cutting back on salt.

What it provides

Tomatoes provide potassium, vitamin C, and lycopene.

Simple ways to eat it

Slice fresh tomatoes into salads and sandwiches, roast cherry tomatoes until they burst, or simmer chopped tomatoes into a no-salt-added sauce with garlic and basil.

Sodium note: Fresh tomatoes are naturally low in sodium. Sodium varies widely among canned tomatoes, tomato juice, sauces, and pastes, so compare labels and choose no-salt-added versions when available.

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Chickpeas (Cooked From Dry or No-Salt-Added)

Chickpeas can serve as a substantial base for a meal, making it easier to build lower-sodium lunches that still feel satisfying.

What it provides

Chickpeas provide fiber, plant protein, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Legumes are a recurring feature of heart-healthy eating patterns because of this nutrient mix.

Simple ways to eat it

Toss cooked chickpeas into salads, roast them with olive oil and spices, or blend them into a homemade hummus with lemon, garlic, and tahini so you control the salt.

Sodium note: Store-bought hummus and canned chickpeas usually contain added sodium; cooking dry chickpeas without added salt gives you greater control over the final sodium level.

Good to know: Dry chickpeas must be fully cooked before eating. Follow the package directions for soaking and cooking.

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Oats

Oats are a whole grain, and whole grains are one of the food groups emphasized in DASH-style and heart-healthy eating patterns.

What it provides

Oats provide soluble fiber, including beta-glucan, along with magnesium and some plant protein. As a plain whole grain, oats fit naturally into a DASH-style eating pattern.

Simple ways to eat it

Cook plain rolled or steel-cut oats in water or milk and top them with fruit, unsalted nuts, and cinnamon. For overnight oats, combine rolled oats with milk or yogurt, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Sodium note: Plain rolled and steel-cut oats are naturally low in sodium. Flavored instant-oatmeal packets may contain added sodium and added sugar, so compare labels.

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Plain Low-Fat Yogurt

Low-fat dairy is a specific part of the DASH eating pattern. Plain low-fat yogurt can be used as a breakfast base, snack, or ingredient in creamy sauces and dressings.

What it provides

Low-fat dairy is one of the food groups included in the DASH eating plan, and plain yogurt provides calcium, potassium, and protein.

Simple ways to eat it

Use plain yogurt as a breakfast base with fruit, as a sauce thinned with lemon and herbs, or as a swap for mayonnaise and sour cream.

Sodium note: Yogurt contains some naturally occurring sodium, and the amount varies by product. Compare labels and choose plain versions when possible; flavored varieties may also contain considerable added sugar.

Good to know: Not suitable for people with a milk allergy; those with lactose intolerance may prefer lactose-free versions.

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Seeds: Chia, Flax, and Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds are an easy, unsalted way to add fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fat to food you are already eating.

What it provides

Chia seeds and flaxseeds provide fiber and the plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. Pumpkin seeds are a notable source of magnesium. These nutrients are commonly found in heart-healthy diets, which is different from saying seeds change blood pressure on their own.

Simple ways to eat it

Stir chia or ground flaxseed into oats, yogurt, or smoothies, and sprinkle unsalted pumpkin seeds over salads and grain bowls.

Sodium note: Choose plain, unsalted seeds. Salted or flavored roasted pumpkin seeds may contain substantial added sodium, so compare labels.

Good to know: Ground flaxseed mixes easily into oats, yogurt, and smoothies. Chia seeds absorb liquid, so stir them thoroughly into moist foods or soak them before serving.