Foods to help lower blood pressure

Blog: 3 September 2026

High blood pressure affects people of all ages, with over one in five adults in Australia living with high blood pressure in 2022.

If it’s left unmanaged, high blood pressure can force your heart to work harder and damage the walls of your blood vessels over time, also significantly increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart-related complications including heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Fortunately, you can actively reduce this risk with some simple lifestyle habits. Eating a heart-healthy diet is one of the easiest ways you can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Vegetables

Eating 4-5 serves of vegetables each day has been linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure. Vegetables such as leafy greens, beetroot and cruciferous veggies provide important nutrients including magnesium, nitrates and potassium. These nutrients have various heart health benefits and can also help regulate blood pressure levels.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern was developed primarily to prevent and reduce high blood pressure. It emphasises the importance of eating more vegetables and fruit, with research showing people who eat more of these foods had lower blood pressure levels compared to those who ate fewer daily servings.

Aim to include a variety of vegetables in your daily diet, as different colours of produce contain different vitamins and minerals. Variety is key to give your body the greatest range of heart-healthy nutrients possible.

Small changes add up, and can lead to larger, measureable improvements to your heart health and blood pressure levels. By making simple swaps and aiming to follow a heart-healthy dietary pattern consistently, you can easily reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other heart health complications, and support your overall health.

Fruit

Like veggies, fruit is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, fibre and other heart-healthy nutrients.

Frozen and canned fruits (and vegetables) can be equally as healthy as fresh fruit, and all varieties can help support your heart and manage your blood pressure. Just be sure to read the nutrition label when choosing packaged fruit options, and avoid products with added salt or sugar when possible.

Easily increase your fruit intake by adding fresh or frozen berries to your yoghurt, or choosing a piece of fruit with some nuts for your 3pm pick-me-up snack.

Wholegrains

Regularly eating whole grains can significantly support your heart health and reduce your risk of high blood pressure significantly, particularly if you choose high-fibre, low-sodium options like quinoa, brown rice, bulgur and whole wheat pasta.

Whole grains are rich in fibre and other beneficial nutrients, which may help manage blood pressure and protect against heart disease, while also preventing excess weight gain – another key component in preventing high blood pressure.

Aim to include three servings of whole grains each day for maximum benefits, being mindful of portion sizes as these foods can be easy to over serve.

Unflavoured dairy products

Including unflavoured, unsweetened dairy foods like milk and yoghurt as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern has been linked to lower blood pressure levels in some studies.

Aim to choose products without added sugars, sweeteners or flavours to help limit the amount of added sugars in your diet. consider opting for lower-fat dairy foods if you’re living with heart disease or high cholesterol levels.

Try snacking on plain yoghurt with berries and nuts or cereal, or add cheese and tomato to whole grain crackers for a satisfying snack.

Legumes, beans and lentils

Legumes, beans and lentils are naturally rich in fibre, plant protein, potassium and magnesium. These, nutrients that help play a role in maintaining heart health and helping to regulate blood pressure.

Regularly including these foods in place of more processed or higher-saturated fat proteinhighly processed options can also support overall heart health. They’re affordable, versatile and suitable for a wide range of meals.

Try adding lentils to bolognese, tossing chickpeas through salads, or using beans in dishes like curries, casseroles or homemade veggie-based meals.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are packed with heart-supporting nutrients including healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Try to include some plain, unsalted nuts or seeds in your main meals daily to capitalise get on all their health benefits, and add some crunch to your food.

Keep in mind a serving of nuts and seeds is generally around the size of a small handful, so you don’t need to go overboard on your portions.

An added bonus: eating nuts regularly has also been linked to lower cholesterol levels.

Herbs and spices

Including these foods every day can help improve your heart and overall health and leave you feeling fantastic.

Even better, prioritising the nutritious, heart-healthy foods above will naturally mean you’re eating less of other foods that may contain large amounts of salt or saturated fats. Limiting your intake of salt and saturated fat is important for your heart and blood vessels, which in turn naturally helps to manage your blood pressure levels.

When cooking, use different herbs and spices to flavour your meals, instead of reaching for salt. And when buying packaged foods, be sure to check nutrition labels to ensure you’re choosing products that are low in salt or sodium.

Small steps matter

Small changes add up, and can lead to larger, measureable improvements to your heart health and blood pressure levels. By making simple swaps and aiming to follow a heart-healthy dietary pattern consistently, you can easily reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other heart health complications, and support your overall health.

Small changes add up, and can lead to larger, measureable improvements to your heart health and blood pressure levels. By making simple swaps and aiming to follow a heart-healthy dietary pattern consistently, you can easily reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other heart health complications, and support your overall health.