Written by Cherilyn Cecchini, MD | Reviewed by Katie E. Golden, MDPublished on February 2, 2023
Key takeaways:
- Researchers have looked into how different drinks can help lower blood pressure. And some of them, like beet juice, work rather quickly.
- Grapefruit juice may help lower blood pressure. But it can also cause a dangerous interaction with certain blood pressure medications.
- There are also some drinks to avoid if you have high blood pressure — like alcohol and energy drinks.
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If you have high blood pressure, you may be curious about lifestyle changes that can help lower your blood pressure. Many people know that a healthy diet and regular exercise can have a big impact on your cardiovascular health. Researchers have also reviewed drinks that can help lower the risk for cardiovascular disease by their effects on blood pressure.
Evidence shows that some drinks may be helpful. But it’s important to note that some of the research only looked at a small number of people. So it’s hard to know if the findings apply to everyone. Nonetheless, there’s evidence that the following six drinks may help lower blood pressure.
1. Skim milk
Skim milk contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium — minerals that are known to help decrease blood pressure. Some studies have shown that drinking 1 to 2 glasses of skim milk a day can help decrease blood pressure. This is especially the case in people who are 55 years old or older. And the change can happen in as little as 4 weeks.
2. Tomato juice
Tomatoes contain antioxidants like lycopene, which have been shown to have several different health benefits.One scientific review found that tomato juice decreased systolic blood pressure (the top number). Researchers found that when people 55 years old and older drank 200 mL a day (a little less than 1 cup), they saw an improvement in systolic blood pressure over the course of 1 year.
3. Beet juice
Beet juice contains nitrate, which can improve blood flow in the body. And a clinical trial showed that when someone drank a little more than 2 cups of beet juice once a day, their blood pressure decreased. The drop can happen as soon as 30 minutes after drinking beet juice and lasts almost 24 hours. This effect may be more pronounced in people who are 45 years of age or older.
Daily consumption may have a longer-lasting effect on lowering blood pressure. But scientists have not looked into this in great detail.
4. Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus tea contains the antioxidant anthocyanin. Research shows that 2 cups of hibiscus tea every day for at least 2 weeks can help decrease blood pressure. Most studies examine the effects after 4 weeks. So it’s difficult to say how quickly hibiscus tea can work.
Some research suggests it can take effect in 1.5 hours, while others saw no effect up to 4 hours after drinking it. This might be due to the variation in the amount of anthocyanins in each cup.
5. Pomegranate juice
Like hibiscus, pomegranate juice also contains anthocyanins. And it may also interact with an enzyme that plays an important role in regulating blood pressure.
One study showed that men who drank about ¼ cup or more of pomegranate juice daily for 2 weeks lowered their blood pressure. While the data was mixed, many researchers agree that pomegranate juice can help decrease blood pressure.
6. Grapefruit juice
Grapefruit contains potassium, lycopene, fiber, and other natural plant nutrients that help lower blood pressure. But grapefruit juice has mostly been studied in combination with other juice or medications that lower blood pressure. And it can actually interact in a bad way with certain blood pressure medications.
Is it OK to drink grapefruit juice if you take blood pressure medication?
If you take certain blood pressure medication, you may need to avoid drinking grapefruit juice. This is because the grapefruit juice causes the body to absorb too much of the medication.
This can cause your blood pressure to drop lower than it should. And low blood pressure can be just as dangerous as high blood pressure. When this happens, blood might not reach vital organs like your brain or your heart, which can lead to problems like a heart attack and stroke.
Grapefruit juice affects blood pressure medications such as calcium channel blockers. The calcium channel blockers that grapefruit juice is most likely to affect include:
- Nicardipine
- Felodipine
- Nimodipine
The general recommendation is to wait 2 to 3 days after drinking grapefruit juice before starting one of these medications.
Other calcium channel blockers may interact with grapefruit juice but lead to a less serious reaction. Examples include:
- Nifedipine
- Verapamil
- Amlodipine
If you’re taking blood pressure medication or any medication, it’s a good idea to talk to your provider before you change your diet. They can help you avoid any interactions or unwanted complications and change your medications as needed.
Which drinks should you avoid with high blood pressure?
There are also some drinks that can raise blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, it’s best to avoid or limit your consumption of:
- Alcohol
- Energy drinks
- Caffeinated drinks
- Soft drinks
Other lifestyle recommendations to help lower blood pressure
Paying attention to what you drink isn’t the only way to help lower blood pressure. Other lifestyle changes can make a difference, too. You can try to:
- Follow the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
- Follow the Mediterranean diet.
- Decrease salt intake.
- Decrease sugar intake.
- Cut back on red meat.
- Look for foods that are low in total and saturated fat.
- Lower your daily stress.
- Avoid or quit smoking.
The bottom line
Your daily habits can have a big impact on your blood pressure — and that includes what you drink. Beverages like skim milk, tomato juice, and beet juice may help decrease blood pressure. But it’s always important to remember moderation — more of these drinks is not always better.
Don’t feel discouraged if you need medication to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Your provider can recommend the best diet for you depending on your situation to keep your blood pressure in check.
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