hello all you healthy blood pressure warriors my name is ingrid and i want to welcome you to the healthy blood pressure dot com channel high blood pressure is an all too common condition throughout the world and the numbers continue to rise doctors typically prescribe medication depending on how high your numbers are but now scientists are also researching various natural ways to lower blood pressure many cultures have traditionally used herbs and spices to treat different types of health conditions because of this scientists are looking at some of these herbs and spices to find out if they
can lower blood pressure let's first talk about a couple of these studies and then we'll go into 11 spices that can help manage high blood pressure the research the american journal of clinical nutrition published a study in 2021 pennsylvania state university was the venue of the study 71 people aged 30 to 75 years old participated in the study all of them had some kind of heart related condition the researchers divided the participants into three random groups they had three different diets with different daily dosages of 24 herbs and spices the combined dosage was 0.5 grams
for the first group 3.3 grams for the second and 6.6 grams for the third they followed the diet for four weeks after this time the scientists noted that the third group had participants with the highest reduction in their 24-hour blood pressure levels the journal of hypertension published a previous study in 2018 this was an evaluation of previous studies that looked at the effects of herbs and spices on high blood pressure they concluded that some spices successfully lowered blood pressure in those with hypertension and pre-hypertension interestingly enough the same spices did not reduce blood pressure in
people whose readings were normal the 11 spices now let's talk about these 11 spices and how they lower blood pressure number one cardamon cardamon is a spice with a rich flavor it comes from india and is extensively used in south asian cuisine cardamon is rich in antioxidants antioxidants work on the innermost layer of the walls along the arteries they help in relaxing these walls this makes blood flow easily cardamom also acts as a diuretic this means it relaxes blood vessels by helping in the removal of excess fluids both mechanisms reduce blood pressure number two cinnamon
cinnamon is a spice obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree it's a versatile spice used in both sweet and savory items it has found a place in most cuisines around the world the distinct flavor and the yellowish-brown color of cinnamon are due to the presence of a compound called cinnamaldehyde this compound can relax and dilate blood vessels thus blood flow through the vessels increases and the flow reduces blood pressure number three turmeric turmeric is another spice used more in indian cuisine the natural yellow color makes the cooked food look rich and appetizing this yellow
color is because of an active compound called curcumin curcumin is an antioxidant and also has anti-inflammatory properties it helps relax blood vessels and increase the flow of blood thus turmeric can reduce blood pressure number four ginger ginger is another versatile spice that can be used in almost every cuisine around the world taking ginger consistently over a period can help lower blood pressure ginger is a natural calcium channel blocker too much calcium can cause the artery walls to squeeze and contract calcium channel blockers prevent excess calcium from entering the arteries and this is how they improve
blood flow and lower blood pressure number five cayenne pepper the heat in cayenne pepper is due to a compound called capsaicin this compound is also present in other kinds of pepper such as bell pepper capsaicin can improve the production of nitric oxide in the body the body naturally produces nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels an increase in this compound can relax the blood vessels further thus blood flow improves and blood pressure comes down number six black pepper black pepper is rich in antioxidants antioxidants help relax the blood vessels black pepper also has a compound called
piperine piperine fights free radicals and reduces oxidative stress oxidative stress can damage the innermost lining of the artery walls and lowering it can help blood flow smoothly this can reduce blood pressure number seven oregano oregano is commonly used in italian foods and many mexican and turkish dishes this subtly flavored herb is rich in antioxidants these antioxidants can fight free radicals and help widen blood vessels also its high fiber content reduces bad cholesterol in the blood cholesterol can cause deposits on the walls of the arteries and this may narrow the vessels hence lowering cholesterol can improve
blood flow and reduce blood pressure number eight garlic garlic enhances the flavor of almost any dish and it's loaded with antioxidants and antibacterial compounds its key component is allicin allicin reduces blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels garlic is so potent that experts often consider it as strong as blood pressure lowering meds but of course don't replace your medications with garlic without talking to your doctor first number nine nutmeg nutmeg is a sweet and savory spice that you can sprinkle on your coffee fruits cereals and cakes nutmeg is rich in antioxidants these compounds reduce oxidative stress
and dilate blood vessels thus blood flow improves and blood pressure reduces nutmeg is also full of calcium potassium and magnesium the balance between these three minerals is essential to regulate blood pressure number 10 time thyme is an all-rounder when it comes to adding flavors to any dish and it also has blood pressure reducing properties its main compound is rosemarinic acid it helps relax blood vessels by lowering the angiotensin converting enzyme ace ace is a compound that can constrict blood vessels and restrict blood flow and so lowering it can help control blood pressure time can also
lower cholesterol levels and this can help in lowering blood pressure too number eleven basil another versatile herb basil imparts a distinct flavor to almost any cuisine basil is rich in an antioxidant called eugenol eugenol acts as a natural calcium channel blocker it prevents excessive calcium from entering the artery walls this prevents the narrowing of the arteries and it helps relax the arteries thus the heart can pump more blood into the arteries more easily and the entire process reduces blood pressure nature has provided us with ways to help heal our broken bodies these 11 spices and
herbs can add flavor and health to your meals it is important to discuss any changes you may want to make with your doctor some foods can interfere with the effectiveness of medications you're taking meeting with your doctor first could also give you a baseline so you'll be better able to track the impact these dietary changes have on your high blood pressure if you'd like to incorporate other healthy and delicious foods into your daily eating get our 101 blood pressure lowering foods ebook as you probably already know the number one way to lower your blood pressure
is to eat healthy that's why we researched and wrote an ebook called 101 foods to lower your blood pressure this ebook contains all kinds of foods that are scientifically proven to lower your blood pressure and we'd like to give it to you for free just go to healthybloodpressure.com and download it today thank you for watching and have an amazing day
