23 May Lower your Blood Pressure with Vitamin C

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide closely followed by stroke as the second – scary stuff. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle in order to keep blood pressure under control.

Vitamin C has come into the spotlight as a way to naturally reduce blood pressure. Studies have suggested that vitamin C works as a diuretic encouraging the kidneys to remove excess salts and water from the body. As a result, the walls of blood vessels dilate or relax and lower blood pressure. Before you rush out and load up on vitamin C supplements, scientists advise that more research is needed to determine whether there are any implications associated with vitamin C as an ongoing treatment. Regardless, there’s no reason why you can’t load up on vitamin C rich fruit and vegetables to help your body benefit in more ways than one.

Other benefits of vitamin C

Apart from influencing healthy blood pressure, vitamin C also:

• Acts as an antioxidant
• Promotes brain health
• Aids iron absorption
• Builds collagen

Which foods are best?

Healthy eating guidelines recommend that adults gain 45mg of vitamin C daily. Take a look at the table below for a quick guide to the best fruit and vegetables for vitamin C:

• Papaya (1 medium) 168 mg
• Bell Peppers (1 cup) 117 mg
• Broccoli (1 cup) 101 mg
• Brussel Sprouts (1 cup) 97 mg
• Strawberries (1 cup) 85 mg
• Pineapple (1 cup) 79 mg
• Oranges (1 medium) 70 mg
• Cantaloupe (1 cup) 59 mg