Beets or beetroot juice might bring down your blood pressure temporarily, but studies show the effect fades fast—usually not more than 24 hours. Since this perk is pretty short-lived, loading up on other heart-healthy eats can give you steadier, longer-lasting blood pressure support.
1. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that give your heart and blood vessels a boost. Think along the lines of:
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Trout
- Herring
- Tuna
Beets can cause a quick blood pressure drop because their nitrates widen your blood vessels, but the effect typically wears off within a day. Omega-3s deliver longer-lasting improvements—benefits that stick around even on days you don’t eat fish.
Research shows that getting about 3 grams (g) of omega-3s daily can bring your top blood pressure number down by roughly 2–4 points.
Try baking fish with a squeeze of lemon, grilling it with your favorite herbs, whipping up fish tacos, or tossing canned fish into salads or pasta dishes.
2. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and arugula help lower blood pressure by delivering potassium, magnesium, and natural nitrates. These nutrients help your blood vessels relax and support your body’s ability to flush out extra sodium—key for keeping blood pressure from creeping up.
Here’s how these nutrients work their magic for your blood pressure:
- Magnesium: Helps keep your arteries flexible. Supplement studies show bigger drops than food alone, but leafy greens still add solid amounts.
- Nitrates: Your body turns nitrates into nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax so blood flows more easily.
- Potassium: Pulls extra sodium out of your body and relaxes blood vessel walls. Research shows getting about 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium daily can lower your top blood pressure number by 4–7 points.
Arugula and Swiss chard have nitrate levels as high as (or even higher than) beets, check this out:
Arugula (rucola): 4,677 mg/kilogram (kg)
Beets: 1,379–2,756 mg/kg
Swiss chard: 1,690–1,728 mg/kg
These greens also pack way more potassium and magnesium. For example, one cup of cooked Swiss chard has 961 mg of potassium, while beets only have 518 mg.
Aim to eat 1–2 cups of greens daily. Toss Swiss chard into soups, bake up some kale chips, steam spinach as a side, or add arugula to sandwiches and salads.
3. Berries
Studies show that eating berries regularly can help keep your blood pressure in check long-term—especially if your numbers are already on the high side.
Beets give you a quick blood pressure tweak, but berries boost your blood vessel health when you eat them consistently. Plus, berries are super easy to work into your diet.
Lots of berries have antioxidants (plant compounds) that keep your blood vessels flexible. Some may even block angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)—kind of like how certain blood pressure medications work.
Shoot for one cup of fresh or frozen berries daily. Eat them as a quick snack, or stir them into smoothies or oatmeal.
4. Legumes
Legumes are your go-to beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas. Studies show that swapping one serving of red meat for legumes five days a week for 16 weeks brought systolic pressure down by about 4 points.
Beets can lower blood pressure within hours, but legumes also cut your risk of developing high blood pressure in the first place. People who eat 55–70 g (¼–⅓ cup) of legumes daily have a 43% lower risk of getting high blood pressure over time.
Legumes support healthy blood pressure with key nutrients like:
- Arginine: An amino acid that amps up nitric oxide and helps blood vessels widen.
- Fiber: Supports gut health and produces compounds that help blood vessels relax. Getting about 17 g of fiber daily may lower blood pressure by 1–1.5 points.
- Folate: Keeps your blood vessels working properly.
- Plant proteins: Break down into peptides that act like mild ACE inhibitors.
Legumes also have antioxidants, potassium, and magnesium that help blood vessels relax and counteract the effects of sodium.
You’ll get the most benefits from legumes when you use them to replace higher-sodium, higher-fat foods or red meat—not just add them on top of your usual meals.
5. Kiwifruit
Studies show that eating two kiwis daily for seven weeks brought systolic blood pressure down by about 2.7 points.
Kiwis deliver vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants that keep your blood vessels in better shape by:
- Improving endothelial function (the health of your blood vessel linings)
- Boosting nitric oxide levels
- Reducing oxidative stress, which can make arteries stiffen up
Kiwis also offer long-term, build-up benefits and are super easy to slip into your diet.
If you prefer sweeter kiwis, pick ones that feel slightly soft when you squeeze them. Slice them in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, or peel and dice them for snacks or toppings.
Heart Healthy Diets That Help With Blood Pressure
Lots of people turn to beets for a quick blood pressure dip, but the effect only lasts a few hours. What you eat every single day usually makes a way bigger difference.
Eating plans like the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean diet, and New Nordic diet focus on these foods:
- Beans and lentils
- Fruits and vegetables
- Lower-sodium foods
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grains
These foods flood your body with nutrients that help keep blood pressure in a healthier range. On average, these diets lower your top blood pressure number by about 5 points and your bottom number by 2–3 points—with even bigger drops for folks who start with higher readings.
