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One Week Meal Plan for High Blood Pressure

Hypertension Meal Plan

Here is a one-week meal plan for controlling high blood pressure. Although the meal plan given here is for a week, one can follow the same plan on a regular basis substituting similar foods for better flavors and taste.

Apart from the pharmacologic interventions that are used to treat high blood pressure, the lifestyle of a hypertensive patient and the proper diet are very crucial to living a healthy and stress-free life.

One-week meal plan for high blood pressure is given at the bottom, which is precisely one of the best to cope with hypertension. A downloadable file in PDF format is also available at the end.

Why do you need to control your Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?

Hypertension is a state in which your high blood pressure is above normal levels. The majority of people do not feel high blood pressure.

This is why it is important to keep it under control. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke. About 47% of the united states population is a patient with hypertension. [Ref] 

Gestational hypertension is a form of HTN that is found in pregnant women.

Long-term high blood pressure causes blood vessels in the body to thicken, narrow, and harden. Blood vessels in the heart, brain, and kidneys become narrow and complex as well. This causes the heart to beat faster and pump more forcefully.

This could result in a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.

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Factors causing high blood pressure:

More than 90% of people with high blood pressure have “essential hypertension”. This is a type of hypertension that does not have a single cause.

It is influenced by many factors including genetics, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, metabolic syndrome, and stress.

Food plays an important role as well. Salty foods, foods with lots of calories and fats, obesity, lack of physical activity, and alcohol intake are avoidable factors in the management of hypertension.

So the better the meal plan the better the blood pressure levels.

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Blood pressure ranges

Blood pressure readings are based on two measurements: systolic and diastolic.

  • Normal blood pressure ranges from 90/60mmHg to 120/80mmHg.
  • High blood pressure is defined as 140/90mmHg or higher.
  • Low blood pressure is defined as 90/60mmHg or less.

Blood Pressure Categories

Blood Pressure CategorySystolic Blood PressureDiastolic Blood Pressure
  Normal<120 mmHgand<80 mmHg
  Elevated120-129 mmHgand<80 mmHg

Hypertension

  Stage 1130-139 mmHgor80-89 mmHg
  Stage 2≥140 mmHgor≥90 mmHg
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How Can You Lower Your Blood Pressure with the help of a meal plan?

You can normalize your blood pressure by using medications too, but healthy ways of lowering your blood pressure include:

  • Low sodium intake
  • Dietary changes
  • Weight loss

Popularly DASH diet is also used.

Low Sodium Intake to control high blood pressure:

The recommended sodium intake is 1500mg; no matter what age group you are in, you must not consume more than 2300 mg of salt daily.

Because our daily salt intakes often cross this limit and that’s why hypertension is becoming more prevalent even in the young population.

So here are some easy ways to decrease your salt intake:

  • Avoid extra salt:

Avoid adding extra salt for good taste and flavor and use herbs and spices instead because herbs are useful in many ways.

Do not use salt on the table, because it can shoot the blood pressure instantly.

  • Use salt in small quantities:

Use minimum quantities of salt in cooking, especially with sodium-rich foods such as tomatoes, and red meat.

  • Avoid processed foods:

Avoid processed foods because they often have more than 1500 mg of salt in single servings. Follow one rule to monitor the sodium content of salt in foods and that is “The more processed a food is, the higher sodium content gets”

  • Avoid all types of salts:

All types of salts like pink salt, sea salt, pickling salt, and kosher salt are the same and all of these have equal effects in raising blood pressure, so they are not good for hypertensive patients.

  • Salt alternatives:

Use salt alternatives like No Salt™ or Half Salt™.

  • Read food labels:

Read food labels to track your sodium in packaged foods.

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What Is the Optimal Dietary Regime (meal plan) For Hypertension?

The DASH diet is the most widely used diet pattern for hypertension. But apart from that, diets that offer the following can be used to lower blood pressure.

  • Low in total fat and cholesterol.
  • Provides less than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
  • Contains increased servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, legumes, beans, lentils, and nuts.
  • Low in red and processed meats.
  • High in fiber so good for GIT motility.
  • High in magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Weight loss is beneficial for controlling high blood pressure.

Being overweight and obese is one of the major risk factors for hypertension and losing even 5% of the total weight has great effects on blood pressure control. So weight loss is beneficial and can be achieved by:

  • Calorie restriction (daily intake of 1500 calories or less).
  • Regular physical activity (at least 90 minutes).
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1-Week Meal Plan for High blood pressure:

People have different schedules. It is best to split your meals rather than take one big meal a day.

Here is a one-week breakfast plan for high blood pressure:

Day

Breakfast

Total Calories

MondaySmashed (medium) Avocado toast (2) +

2 boiled egg whites

380
TuesdayHoney glazed banana pancakes (3) +

1 cup fat-free milk

355
WednesdayMixed nuts oatmeal (1 cup) +

1 apple

210
ThursdayMulti-grain waffles (3)+

1 apple and ½ cup raspberries

360
FridayBran bread (2) +

Peanut butter (2-3 tbsp) +

Green smoothie (1 cup)

270
SaturdayGreek yogurt (1 cup) +

Boiled egg whites (4)

240
SundayChia seeds pudding topped with strawberries (1 cup)220

Here is a one-week lunch meal plan for people with high blood pressure:

Day

Lunch

Total Calories

MondaySwiss cheese chicken sandwich (2) +

watermelon chunks (1 cup)

330
TuesdayBaked eggs with tomato sauce +

whole wheat tortilla (1)+

Roasted kale

350
WednesdayBeef kebab +

cooked wild rice+

beets, carrots & lettuce salad

450
ThursdayTuna salad (1 cup) + 

Green smoothie

350
FridayGrilled chicken steak with tomato sauce +

mashed sweet potato (1/2 cup)+

orange juice (1 cup)

450
SaturdayRed bean stew +

whole wheat tortilla +

veggie salad

385
SundayChicken corn soup +

whole wheat garlic bread +

4 boiled egg whites

430

Here is a one-week dinner meal plan for high blood pressure:

Day

Dinner

Total Calories

MondayVegetable spaghetti (1cup)+ 

fat-free chocolate milk (1 cup)

460
TuesdayBaked cod (3oz) + 

Brown rice +

½ cup pineapple chunks

310
WednesdayCurried chicken tortilla wrap (1) +

Mix fruit salad (1 cup)

360
ThursdayVeggie burger with light mayo+

orange juice (1 cup)

415
FridayZucchini & chicken noodles (2 cup) +

Roasted beets +

carrots

350
SaturdayBran bread (2 slices) +

Scrambled eggs (2) +

1 cup fat-free milk

405
SundayVegetable brown rice +

baked potato kebab (1)

390

Here is the summary of one week meal plan for high blood pressure including snacks:

Day

Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Total Calories

Monday

Smashed (medium) Avocado toast (2) +

2 boiled egg whites

Calories: 380

Chia seeds + lemon and honey in warm water

Calories: 50

Swiss cheese chicken sandwich (2) + watermelon chunks (1 cup)

Calories:  330

Popcorn (1/2 cup without salt)

Calories: 170

Vegetable spaghetti (1cup)

+  fat-free chocolate milk (1 cup)

Calories: 460

1390

Tuesday

Honey glazed banana pancakes (3) and 1 cup of fat-free milk

Calories:  355

Spinach avocado smoothie (1 Cup)

Calories:  215

Baked eggs with tomato sauce and whole wheat tortilla (1)

+ Roasted kale

Calories: 350

Vanilla wafers (4)

Calories: 105

Baked cod (3oz)+

Brown rice+

½ cup pineapple chunks

Calories: 310

1335

Wednesday

Mixed nuts oatmeal (1 cup) and add 1 apple

Calories: 210

Mix beans salad with sprinkled lemon and olive oil (1 cup

Calories: 150

Beef kebab with cooked wild rice

+ beets, carrots & lettuce salad

Calories: 450

Banana and Dates milkshake

Calories: 200

Curried chicken tortilla wrap (1)

Mix fruit salad (1 cup)

Calories: 360

1370

Thursday

Multi-grain waffles (3)+

1 apple and ½ cup raspberries

Calories: 360

Cantaloupe (1 cup)

Calories: 120

Tuna salad (1 cup) with

Green smoothie

Calories: 350

Light yogurt (1 cup)

Calories: 150

Veggie burger with light mayo

+ orange juice (1 cup)

Calories: 415

1395

Friday

Bran bread (2) along with

Peanut butter (2-3 tbsp) +

Green smoothie (1 cup)

Calories: 270

1 Large pear

Calories: 60

Grilled chicken steak with tomato sauce with mashed sweet potato (1/2 cup)

+ orange juice (1 cup)

Calories: 450

Whole wheat cookie

+ Herbal Tea (1 cup)

Calories: 220

Zucchini & chicken noodles (2 cups) with

Roasted beets and carrots

Calories:  350

1350

Saturday

Greek yogurt (1 cup) and

Boiled egg whites (4)

Calories: 240

Sweet corn (boiled) 1 cup with sprinkled lemon and pepper

Calories:  120

Red bean stew + whole wheat tortilla + veggie salad

Calories: 385

Almonds (7 nuts)

+ ½ cup strawberries

calories: 150

Bran bread (2 slices) plus

Scrambled eggs (2)

+ 1 cup fat-free milk

Calories: 405

1300

Sunday

Chia seeds pudding topped with strawberries (1 cup)

Calories: 220

Avocado-filled egg whites (2)

Calories: 150

Chicken corn soup and whole wheat garlic bread + 4 boiled egg whites

Calories: 430

1 oz pretzels mixed with sunflower seeds (2 tbsp)

Calories: 150

Vegetable brown rice + baked potato kebab (1)

Calories:  390

1340
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A summary of a one-week meal plan for high blood pressure in PDF format can be downloaded here (meal plan for high blood pressure in PDF format)

What do you think?

Written by Dr. Ahmed

I am Dr. Ahmed (MBBS; FCPS Medicine), an Internist and a practicing physician. I am in the medical field for over fifteen years working in one of the busiest hospitals and writing medical posts for over 5 years.

I love my family, my profession, my blog, nature, hiking, and simple life. Read more about me, my family, and my qualifications

Here is a link to My Facebook Page. You can also contact me by email at contact@dibesity.com or at My Twitter Account
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