High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than 25 per cent of UK adults, according to the NHS.
Getting your blood pressure checked is the only way to find out if you have hypertension.
Having high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, strokes and heart attacks.
You could lower your blood pressure by eating certain foods, studies have claimed.
“You’ll be happy to learn that it’s usually surprisingly easy for many people to help tackle high blood pressure just by making some simple changes,” said nutritionist Dr Josh Axe.
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“This can be accomplished in stages through very approachable steps, such as eating more fresh produce and cooking more often.”
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats, which help to stabilise blood pressure.
The anti-inflammatory snacks also help to keep you full, and prevent overeating.
“Most people should get about 25 percent to 35 percent of their daily calories from healthy fats,” said Axe.
Beetroot
Beetroot juice helps to significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, studies have revealed.
The juice is more effective at lowering blood pressure than cooked beetroot, they found.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate can be rich in flavonols – a type of phytochemical antioxidants.
Try to find dark chocolate that hasn’t been doused in sugar, the nutritionist warned.
“You can get close by looking for organic chocolate that lists a high amount of ‘cocoa solids’. Somewhere close to 80 per cent is best.”
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in a nutrient called lycopene.
Lycopene helps to lower blood pressure significantly, studies have claimed.
“The best hypotensive effects of the tomato will be found when eaten raw,” said Axe.
Spinach
Spinach is packed full of healthy antioxidants, scientists have said.
“We’ve all known for a long time that spinach is a crazy healthy food and helps seriously reduce disease-causing inflammation.
“The awesome antioxidants it contains land it on this list of foods that lower blood pressure.”
Olive oil
You could lower your blood pressure by adding olive oil to your diet.
The oil is a staple part of the Mediterranean diet – a diet plan that’s been linked to longer lifespans and a lower risk of heart disease.
The antioxidant-rich olive oil is one of the healthiest fats you should include in your diet.
Celery
You could burn more calories eating celery than you consume, Axe said.
But, it’s nutrients could also help to keep blood pressure in check, studies revealed.