Eating With High Blood Pressure

Eating can be bothersome when planning a heart-healthy diet. Instead of developing a dietary plan through trial and error, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can get you on the right track to healthy eating and controlled blood pressure. According to Gabe and Diana Mirkin, authors of "The Healthy Heart Miracle," the DASH diet consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. To lower high blood pressure, you must resist consuming sugary, sweet and high-fat foods.

Raise Your HDL

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are also called "good" cholesterol because they carry cholesterol molecules to your liver for disposal. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are known as "bad" cholesterol because they carry cholesterol to your arteries, which can build up over time and cause plaque. If there is too much plaque in your arteries, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through them, which causes high blood pressure. According to Gabe Mirkin, your HDL levels can be raised by avoiding all refined carbohydrates from your diet. Refined carbohydrates include flour, white rice, milled corn and all added sugars. Replace your refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates found in beans, vegetables, nuts and whole-grain breads and pasta. Complex carbohydrates provide dietary fiber and reduce LDL levels by sending cholesterol to the liver. Fruits and vegetables are healthy for your heart---they provide a multitude of vitamins and nutrients and are low in calories and carbohydrates.

Dairy

You should not consume more than four glasses of milk daily, according to Gabe Mirkin. Calcium found in milk uses up vitamin D, which lowers your body's overall amount of this essential vitamin. A lack of vitamin D in your diet can cause rickets, a disorder that causes weak bones and muscle cramps. Your DASH diet should include three cups of skim milk, cheese or yogurt a day. If you are lactose intolerant, soy milk is an acceptable substitute.

Fat

Saturated fat can be found in a variety of foods, including meats, sugary foods, butter and dairy products that use whole milk. These foods cause your cholesterol to rise, which over time can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. These fats should be consumed in limited quantities to prevent health complications, or avoided altogether. Trans fat, also known as partially hydrogenated oils, are harmful due to their ability to raise your LDL levels and lower your HDL levels. Trans fat can be found in baked goods, fried foods, margarine and shortening, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Healthy fats are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are used to replace unhealthy fats, lower your LDL levels and provide vitamin E. Monounsaturated fats can be found in vegetable oils, nuts, avocados and peanut butter. Polyunsaturated fat can be found in fatty fish, corn oil, safflower oil and walnuts, according to the AHA. Olive oil and other vegetable oils are suitable replacements for butter and margarine used in cooking.