High blood pressure is one of the most common problems of today. Just like air pressure or water pressure, it is defined as a pressure inside a container. In this case, the container are your arteries. As such, blood pressure is the pressure the blood makes while pushing against the walls of your arteries as it moves through your body. The arteries only have a certain capacity to sustain this pressure, so this is why high pressure can harm the arteries. Healthy arteries thus become damaged, which can lead to numerous health issues, such as heart disease or even stroke.

It's therefore an imperative to keep your blood pressure under control. Even if your blood pressure is not extremely high, it is a good idea to try to lower it to the optimal levels. While there are numerous medicaments to lower your blood pressure there are also some great and healthy foods you can try.

Healthy foods for lowering blood pressure are a great way to go because they are natural and without harmful chemicals. Also, they are ideal for those who do not have high pressure as a serious medical condition but only want to keep their blood pressure in check. However, these foods are also recommended to people who do have high pressure and who do take medicaments. Using healthy foods with your medicaments will sure help keeping your blood pressure in control.

Here is a list of some of the best foods to keep your blood pressure in control:

Peas

Peas are among the best foods to control your blood pressure. They contain a special vegetable protein that will keep the blood pressure lower. Peas also contain numerous vitamins, not to mention folic acid, which are great for overall cardio-vascular support.

Another great thing is that peas have a great taste and you can make so many different meals with them. This is particularly true for fresh, organic peas. You may also use organic frozen peas that only cost a bit more than the conventional kind. It's always best to go for organic peas since conventional ones tend to absorb a lot of chemicals.

Celery

Celery is a great vegetable for keeping your blood pressure under control. It is great for your heart and overall well-being. It will help your heart and veins function better, which in turn can lower your blood pressure.

Celery works by balancing blood sugar levels, which also works to keep optimal blood pressure levels. In fact, celery is something of a superfood: it offers numerous health benefits, including weight loss.

Speaking of which: weight loss can help keeping your blood pressure under control. Not to mention that keeping a healthy weight reduces your chances of problems arising from high blood pressure. Eat lots of celery to help keeping your blood pressure under control and maintain optimal health.

Green Beans

Green beans have a direct influence on the blood pressure. They create favorable conditions for lowering blood pressure and keeping it on the healthy levels. They can help your body in 3 different ways, due to their high Vitamin C content, as well as their fiber and potassium content.

These helpful elements keep your blood pressure in check and they also help you keep your optimal health levels. You should add green beans to your meals whenever possible. Just one word of warning: do not use them with lots of butter, since it will prevent the beneficial effect of beans. You may add some silvered almonds to the beans to make them even healthier.

Potatoes

Potatoes are great foods for lowering blood pressure. Many people today use low-carb diets that prohibit potatoes, but this is not the best way to go if you want to keep your blood pressure under control. Do not avoid potatoes - they are great for lowering your blood pressure.

Potatoes are actually good for you, as long as you eat them in reasonable amounts. They contain kukoamine, which provides numerous benefits for your organism and helps controlling blood pressure. A single serving might not be enough to completely control your blood pressure but if you eat potatoes on a regularly basis you will get benefits in the form of lower blood pressure.

The best way to eat potatoes is to bake them. You may also cook them in other ways to enjoy the health benefits they provide.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are another super-food you may try. They are great at lowering blood pressure so eating lots of tomatoes is truly beneficial. In fact, lowering blood pressure is just one of the many health benefits of tomatoes.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is a great agent at lowering blood pressure and providing other beneficial effects for your health. Tomatoes can help keep your optimal well-being. They are great for minimizing the effect of diabetes or preventing premature aging of the skin. In short, there are plenty of reasons to use tomatoes.

When preparing tomatoes, keep in mind that it's best to eat them without much processing or cooking. Don't add other ingredients with lots of fats, such as cheese or fatty meats. For example, tomatoes on a pizza are not particularly helpful. Eat them raw or in a light salad instead.

Spinach

Spinach is another super-food you wish to consider. It's the key ingredient to many detox methods, so it's not surprising that it's very popular. Another great thing about spinach is that it can help keeping your blood pressure down. It does that due to its nutrient-dense nature. Spinach contains plenty of anti-oxidants, which help the body repair the damage done by free radicals.

A great thing about spinach is that you can eat it in many different ways. You can use it fresh in the salad or you can make a healthy smoothie. Green smoothies are popular these days and spinach is a great vegetable for a tasty smoothie. Spinach even works when cooked, though it's always best to use it fresh.

Beets

Beets is a very healthy food you should have on your menu. It managed to stay under the radar for so many years but more and more people are discovering its health benefits these days. Juice from beets is particularly healthy and it can help you prevent high blood pressure. In order to get all the health benefits, make sure to consume beets on a regular basis. Having a daily glass of beets will help you keep your blood pressure under control.

Beets may not be particularly tasty, but it's very healthy so you should get used to it. It's what you may call an acquired taste. You will get used to it after a while and even enjoy it.

Carrots

Carrots are beneficial for keeping blood pressure low. You will need a lot of them to truly make a difference, which is why it's best to consume them in drinks. Get a juicer to make a healthy carrot juice every day.

Carrots are rich in beneficial ingredients you sure want to try. Many people know how beneficial carrots are for the eyes, but that's not all. Carrots also contain anti-oxidants and potassium. These two elements are great for keeping blood pressure low. Also, carrots contain a specific type of fiber which helps keeping you clear. Carrots are truly great at maintaining your health.

Beans

Beans are great for diabetics since they are great at balancing blood sugar levels. However, they can do much more. They are also great at maintaining optimal blood pressure levels.

To get the best effect, it's important to have a regular intake of beans. It is not so difficult to achieve these days. They can be purchased almost anywhere and you can eat them even in restaurants. Many restaurants of today allow you to switch out side dishes with black beans. Use these offers for the best health benefits.

One of the great things about beans is that they are very tasty. They will also keep you fuller longer so they are great for weight management.

Photo credit: Marco Verch