Aunt Li has always been in good health, but in the past two years, high blood pressure has become a “frequent patient” in her family. The pills she swallowed every day were colorful, but there was always a question in her mind: Could she be trapped by high blood pressure in her life?
That afternoon, Aunt Li had just had lunch and grabbed a piece of fruit and ate it.
After a few mouthfuls, I felt dizzy and my chest felt like it was being pressed by a boulder. She hurriedly sat down, trying to calm down, but the uncomfortable feeling just couldn’t go away.
At this moment, Aunt Li’s wife, Uncle Zhang, walked in in a hurry. Seeing her like this, he asked nervously: “What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable again?”
Aunt Li pointed to the fruit in her hand and said weakly: “I just ate this, why do I feel so uncomfortable?”
Uncle Zhang looked at it and frowned: “Why are you still eating these? People with high blood pressure should not eat fruits indiscriminately. One bite of some fruits may cause the blood pressure to skyrocket!” At this point, he paused and seemed to have reservations. .
Aunt Li was shocked. Could it be that there were “minefields” in the fruits she usually ate?
01 The connection between high blood pressure and diet
The formation of high blood pressure is related to many factors, and dietary habits are undoubtedly an important part of it. A high-salt diet is one of the main causes of high blood pressure.
Too much salt increases blood volume, which can lead to increased blood pressure. Therefore, for patients with hypertension, it is important to control the salt intake in their daily diet, and it is generally recommended not to exceed 6 grams.
In addition to salt, we should also pay attention to other dietary factors that may affect blood pressure, such as sugar and other ingredients in fruits.
02 The role of fruits in the diet of patients with hypertension
Although some fruits need to be consumed with caution by people with high blood pressure, most fruits are very helpful in maintaining blood pressure balance because they are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
Especially those fruits that are rich in potassium, such as bananas, oranges, grapefruits, etc., potassium can help regulate sodium levels in the body, thereby helping to lower blood pressure.
Even these fruits that are good for high blood pressure need to be consumed in moderation under the guidance of a doctor. Because too much of a good thing can sometimes turn into a bad thing.
Excessive intake of potassium may cause hyperkalemia in hypertensive patients with renal insufficiency, thus posing new health risks.
Therefore, it is crucial for patients with hypertension to understand the characteristics of each fruit and make wise choices based on their own health conditions.
03 Fruits that patients with high blood pressure should eat with caution
It is particularly worth mentioning that although two fruits, grapefruit and persimmon, have rich nutritional value, they may become “invisible minefields” in the diet for patients with hypertension.
Grapefruit: Although grapefruit is rich in vitamin C and potassium, which are beneficial to cardiovascular elements, it may also affect the metabolism of certain antihypertensive drugs, especially calcium channel blockers, which may cause the drugs to accumulate in the body and increase the risk of side effects. risk.
Therefore, patients with high blood pressure who take such drugs should consult their doctor before eating grapefruit.
Persimmons: Persimmons contain a lot of tannic acid and pectin. In some cases, these ingredients may combine with the calcium in food to form a complex that is not easily absorbed by the body, thus affecting the absorption of calcium.
For patients with hypertension, appropriate calcium intake helps control blood pressure, so excessive consumption of persimmons may be detrimental to the stability of blood pressure.
Although high-sugar fruits such as lychees and longans do not directly affect blood pressure, their high sugar content may lead to weight gain, thereby indirectly affecting blood pressure control.
Obesity is an important risk factor for hypertension. Therefore, for patients with hypertension, reasonable control of the intake of high-sugar fruits is also critical to maintaining normal blood pressure.
04 Combine diet and drug treatment
Although dietary modification is important in controlling high blood pressure, it cannot replace medication. Patients with high blood pressure should follow their doctor’s recommendations and receive standardized drug treatment.
At the same time, combined with scientific and reasonable diet and lifestyle adjustments, to achieve better blood pressure control.
A seemingly harmless fruit may also pose a challenge to people with high blood pressure in certain circumstances.
Choosing the right fruits and knowing how to eat them are crucial for patients with high blood pressure. At the same time, we must also realize that the combination of drug treatment and healthy diet is the key to the management of hypertension.
