Introduction
High blood pressure is a serious health condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other serious health issues. Eating a healthy breakfast is an important part of managing your blood pressure. Unfortunately, many people have unhealthy breakfast habits that can contribute to high blood pressure. In this article, we will discuss four of the worst breakfast habits for high blood pressure, according to dietitians. We will also provide tips on how to make healthier breakfast choices that can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure. So, if you’re looking to make changes to your breakfast routine, read on to learn more.
4 Worst Breakfast Habits for High Blood Pressure, Say Dietitians — Eat This Not That
High blood pressure is a serious health condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other serious health issues. Eating a healthy breakfast is one way to help keep your blood pressure in check. But there are some breakfast habits that can actually make your blood pressure worse. Here are four of the worst breakfast habits for high blood pressure, according to dietitians.
1. Eating Too Much Salt
Salt is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Eating too much salt can cause your body to retain fluid, which can increase your blood pressure. To keep your salt intake in check, avoid processed foods like bacon, sausage, and canned soups. Instead, opt for fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
2. Eating Too Much Sugar
Eating too much sugar can also contribute to high blood pressure. Sugar can cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to an increase in your blood pressure. To keep your sugar intake in check, avoid sugary cereals, pastries, and other processed foods. Instead, opt for natural sources of sugar like fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Eating Too Much Fat
Eating too much fat can also contribute to high blood pressure. Fat can cause your arteries to become clogged, which can lead to an increase in your blood pressure. To keep your fat intake in check, avoid fried foods, processed meats, and full-fat dairy products. Instead, opt for lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats like olive oil and avocado.
4. Eating Too Little Fiber
Eating too little fiber can also contribute to high blood pressure. Fiber helps to reduce cholesterol levels, which can help to lower your blood pressure. To get enough fiber, opt for whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid processed foods, which are often low in fiber.
By avoiding these four worst breakfast habits for high blood pressure, you can help keep your blood pressure in check. Eating a healthy breakfast is one of the best ways to keep your blood pressure in check. So make sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains in your breakfast to help keep your blood pressure in check.
Having high blood pressure is an increasingly common problem in the United States. This is often caused by genetics, other illnesses, poor diet, or a more sedentary lifestyle. But while high blood pressure can lead to more severe issues if it’s untreated, there are many ways to manage and lower your blood pressure levels.
One of the ways people can manage their high blood pressure is through their diet. The CDC recommends eating a “healthy” diet with low sodium and low alcohol consumption, but what about everything in between? To learn more about what a healthy blood pressure diet consists of, we talked with some dietitians about the worst breakfast habits you’ll want to avoid. Read on, and for more, don’t miss 4 Best Eating Habits for High Blood Pressure, Says Dietitian.
Certain popular breakfast items can come loaded with sodium without us even realizing it. Unfortunately, many dietitians warn that an increase in sodium can contribute to higher blood pressure. In fact, a report published in Nutrients states that reducing your sodium intake can not only reduce your risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) but can also reduce your risk of death from cardiovascular diseases.
“Many breakfast sausages and some frozen breakfast sandwiches are high in sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure when consumed in large amounts over time. If you are grabbing one of these foods, it’s important to pair it with something low in sodium like fruit or a whole grain like oats,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and member of our expert medical board.
Sign up for our newsletter!
One habit that many of us may not realize is harmful is not getting enough fruits and vegetables in the morning. According to The Cleveland Clinic, it is recommended that adults trying to lower their blood pressure get between 5 and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day. If you’re not getting a serving or two at breakfast, this goal can be difficult to attain.
“Fruits and vegetables are naturally sodium-free (regular intakes of high sodium foods can contribute to high blood pressure over time) and many of them contain potassium, which can help lower high blood pressure in some people. Veggies may seem weird at breakfast, but you can scramble them into eggs or blend spinach or kale into a smoothie to amp up your morning intake of nutrients,” says Goodson.
Many people may assume that sticking to a strict diet in order to lose weight can help them with their blood pressure as well, but some dietitians say that we should be careful in how restrictive we are being.
“Following restrictive eating behaviors in the pursuit of quick weight loss can be harmful to your blood pressure. Emerging research indicates that a HAES (Health At Every Size) approach (in comparison to a weight-centric intervention) is ‘associated with statistically and clinically relevant improvements in physiological measures (e.g. blood pressure),”” says Rachel Fine, RDN, a registered dietitian and founder of To The Pointe Nutrition.
Restrictive diets have been known to deprive people of many of the nutrients they need, which can be detrimental to those who need to lower their blood pressure. If you want to lose weight, try talking with your doctor or dietitian about a blood-pressure-friendly pattern of eating that you can try.
Consuming too much added sugar can contribute to many different health complications, and research shows that increased sugar intake can also lead to increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
“Sugar and processed foods are highly inflammatory and increase blood sugars and the insulin response as well as the inflammatory response in your body. Inflammation can increase blood pressure as well,” says Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD a registered dietitian and author of Recipe for Survival. To understand what other foods to skip out on during your morning meal, don’t miss The Worst Breakfast Foods for Inflammation, Says Dietitian.