Mr Gary Chiah, Senior Dietitian at the Department of Dietetics, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group shares tips on the best foods to lower high blood pressure.

1. More fibre
   High blood pressure can be kept under control with fresh vegetables and fruits. HPB recommends a minimum of 2 + 2 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. One serving of fruit is equivalent to one small fruit, 1 medium banana, 10 grapes or ¼ cup of dried fruits. One serving of vegetables is 100 g (or ¾ of a mug) of cooked vegetables.

2. ​​Consume more magnesium-rich foods
   Magnesium can help in lowering high blood pressure. Green leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts (e.g. almonds, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds) are good sources of magnesium. Seeds and nuts also contain heart-healthy fats. It is unnecessary to take additional magnesium supplements. Just be sure to include magnesium-rich foods in your meals.

3. Whole grains
   People with high blood pressure should eat more whole grain foods as they contain fibre, potassium and magnesium. Substitute white rice and refined noodles with whole grain products like brown rice and whole wheat noodles.

4. ​​​Eat more potassium-rich foods
   When you have high blood pressure, make sure you eat sufficient fruits and vegetables as they are rich in potassium. For vegetables, you could choose peas, greens, tomatoes, spinach and potatoes. Fruits such as bananas and oranges and dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, prunes and dates are also high in potassium. Remember to get your potassium from food, not supplements, to avoid any risk of overdose.

​Ref: S13

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Pre-Hypertension: How to Know If You Have It