Eat right to help lower your blood pressure

Avoid foods that are high in fat:

• Fats and oils (like butter, margarine, vegetable oils, lard, fat back, salt pork, meat drippings, gravy)
• Fatty meats (like hot dogs, bacon, bologna, salami, corned beef, regular ground beef, ribs, sausage)
• Whole milk, 2% milk, cream, ice cream
• Most cheeses (like cream cheese, cheddar, American)
• Many snack foods (like chips and nuts)
• Fried foods (like fried chicken and french fries)
• Most cakes, pies, and pastries
• Many cookies
• Most fast foods

Fix foods the low-sodium way

• Try to cook from scratch. Start with foods low in salt and sodium.
• Use herbs, spices, and fruit juices to season food.
• Do not add salt to your food when cooking or at the table.
• Rinse canned foods like tuna and canned vegetables to remove salty juices.

Shake on the herbs and spices

• Basil
• Bay leaf
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Cumin
• Curry powder
• Dry mustard
• Garlic powder, not garlic salt
• Onion powder, not onion salt
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Parsley
• Pepper, black and red
• Poultry seasoning
• Thyme
• No-salt spice blends

Snack on...

• Bagels, raisin toast, or English muffins with jelly and a little
• Margarine
• Air-popped popcorn with no salt or butter
• Unsalted pretzels and crackers
• Low-fat cookies (animal crackers, fig bars, gingersnaps)
• Fruits, vegetables
• Fruit juices and drinks
• Nonfat frozen yogurt, sherbet, popsicles
• Hard candy, jelly beans

Instead of...

• Salted popcorn with butter
• Salted pretzels and crackers
• Salted chips
• French fries
• Pork rinds

Buy more often...

• Chicken and turkey (take off skin)
• Fish
• Lean cuts of meat
• Skim or 1% milk, evaporated skim milk
• Cheeses lower in fat and sodium (like low-fat cheddar, part- skim mozzarella)
• Low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• Margarine, vegetable oils, vinegar
• Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
• Fresh, frozen, or no salt added canned vegetables
• Plain rice and pasta
• English muffins, bagels, loaf breads, tortillas, pita
• Cold (ready-to-eat) cereal and cereals cooked on the stove
• Spices and herbs

Buy less often...

• Fatty cuts of meat
• Smoked foods
• Lunch meats, bacon, and sausage
• Buttermilk
• Most cheese spreads and cheeses
• Most salad dressings
• Fat back, salt pork
• Toppings and sauces (like ketchup, mustard, butter, gravy, and barbecue, soy, and cheese sauces)
• Regular canned soups, instant soups
• Regular canned vegetables
• Instant hot cereals
• Pickles and olives
• Salty crackers and salty snack foods
• Garlic salt, celery salt, and onion salts

Cut back on alcohol

Limiting alcohol consumption is key for lowering your blood pressure.

(Reprinted with permission from the National Institutes of Health)

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