7 Fruits to Lower High Blood Pressure: Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Kiwi, Watermelon, Starfruit, and Papaya

KOMPAS.com – Certain foods, including fruits, can help lower high blood pressure.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition when the blood pressure against the artery walls is too high.

According to Ministry of Healthblood pressure is described by two numbers, when the heart contracts or systolic, and when the heart relaxes or diastolic.

A person is said to have hypertension if when sitting the systolic pressure is more than 140 mmHg and the diastolic pressure reaches 90 mmHg or more.

If left unchecked, high blood pressure has the potential to increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack, swollen blood vessels or aneurysms, and even kidney damage.

Fortunately, several fruits act as high blood pressure lowerers which are good for consumption by hypertension sufferers.

So, what are the fruits that reduce high blood pressure?

Also read: 4 Fruits that are Good for the Heart, Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Also read: Benefits of Apples for Weight Loss

A research review, cited Very Well Health found that fruit intake of 530–600 grams per day can help prevent high blood pressure.

Not only that, consuming the equivalent of four medium-sized apples also has the potential to reduce high blood pressure.

Compiled from various sources, here are a number of high blood pressure-lowering fruits that are suitable for hypertension sufferers:

1. Appeal

Consuming whole apples can reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as cholesterol and inflammation.

Research published in 2020 also found that eating at least one whole apple every day helped reduce the risk of hypertension by 9 percent.

The benefits of apples for high blood pressure are due to their flavonoid content, which improves endothelial cell function by increasing nitric oxide production.

Nitric oxide gas itself will signal the blood vessels to relax, thereby lowering blood pressure.

Also read: Can make it worse, here are 5 fruits that should not be eaten when coughing

2. Orange

Lifestyle Asia Orange fruit has many benefits from its various nutritional content. Consuming this fruit also helps reduce high blood pressure.

Oranges and other citrus fruits, including lemons and limes, contain hesperidin, a flavonoid that can lower blood pressure and improve heart health.

A 2020 study also found that about two cups of orange juice effectively lowered systolic blood pressure in pre-hypertensive individuals.

This effect is primarily due to hesperidin, as well as its potential to improve the function of endothelial cells in blood vessels.

3. Banana

Reporting from Medical News Todaybananas can be a fruit that lowers high blood pressure because of its potassium content.

One medium-sized banana contains around 422 milligrams of potassium. This substance can reduce the effects of sodium, a mineral that can increase blood pressure.

Apart from that, potassium also helps reduce the tension that occurs in the walls of blood vessels.

4. Kiwi

A study in 2015 found that adults with high blood pressure improved after consuming kiwi.

Participants who ate three kiwis per day for eight weeks also experienced a more significant reduction in blood pressure than eating one apple per day.

The benefits of kiwi as a fruit for lowering high blood pressure may be due to its potassium, vitamin C and antioxidant content.

Also read: 4 Fruits to Reduce High Cholesterol and Uric Acid, Keep Your Heart Healthy

5. Watermelon

PIXABAY/STEVE BUISSINNE Illustration of watermelon, a fruit that lowers high blood pressure.

Watermelon is a fruit that can reduce high blood pressure because it contains an amino acid called citrulline atau sitrulina.

The body converts citrulline into arginine, which helps the body produce nitric oxide, a gas that promotes artery flexibility.

This effect can help improve blood flow, which leads to reduced pressure on the artery walls.

In fact, a controlled trial in 2023 found that watermelon juice could lower systolic blood pressure for two hours.

Similarly, a meta-analysis in 2023 also supports the claim of the blood pressure lowering effect of consuming watermelon.

6. Starfruit

One of the high blood-lowering fruits that is suitable for hypertension sufferers is star fruit.

Quoted from WebMDThis star-shaped fruit contains potassium which can regulate electrolytes in the body and keep blood pressure normal.

The same mineral also ensures a regular heartbeat, so that blood flow in the body is smooth and healthy.

Not only potassium, the calcium content in starfruit can also relieve tension in blood vessels, thereby helping reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

7. Papaya

Still obeying Medical News Todaythe nutrients contained in papaya can help ward off heart disease.

One of the benefits of reducing the risk of heart disease is the potassium content which helps lower blood pressure.

Not only that, the papain enzyme in this fruit also helps reduce inflammation in the body, which contributes to heart health and blood pressure.

Also read: 10 vegetables that reduce hypertension, what are they?

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2023-11-02 23:30:00
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