What is the best raw juice for high blood pressure?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious health condition that affects over 1 billion people worldwide. It puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems. While medication is often necessary to control high blood pressure, lifestyle changes like diet can also make a big difference. Drinking raw vegetable and fruit juices is one natural way to help lower blood pressure.

How Raw Juices Can Reduce Blood Pressure

Raw juices retain most of the vitamins, minerals, and plant nutrients of whole fruits and vegetables. They provide a concentrated dose of compounds that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood pressure lowering effects. Some key nutrients and plant chemicals in raw juices that benefit heart health include:

• Potassium – Helps balance sodium levels to reduce blood pressure.
• Magnesium – Relaxes blood vessels.
• Nitrates – Convert into nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels.
• Polyphenols – Powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation.
• Betalains – Plant pigments with antioxidant abilities.
• Vitamin C – Strengthens blood vessels.

Drinking raw juices made from a variety of vegetables and fruits gives you a wide range of all these beneficial compounds. Juices also let you consume greater amounts of produce compared to eating whole fruits and veggies.

Best Fruits and Vegetables for Blood Pressure Juicing

Here are some of the top produce choices to use in raw juices to lower high blood pressure:

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, Swiss chard, arugula, and collard greens are low in calories and packed with potassium, magnesium, nitrates, and antioxidants. Blending them into juices is an easy way to get more of these blood pressure-improving nutrients.

Beetroots

Beetroots, known simply as beets in North America, are an exceptional source of nitrates. Drinking beetroot juice can decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings within just a few hours.

Celery

In addition to its high water and electrolyte content, celery contains phytochemicals called phthalides that relax smooth muscles around arteries to increase blood flow. Juicing celery is a tasty way to incorporate its blood pressure benefits.

Carrots

Carrots are packed with antioxidants like beta-carotene, lycopene, and anthocyanins that reduce inflammation in blood vessels and heart tissue. This vegetable is sweet enough to juice on its own.

Citrus Fruits

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C, an important nutrient for healthy blood pressure. Citrus juices are tangy and sweet.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice offers a variety of bioactive polyphenols. A meta-analysis of clinical studies found drinking pomegranate juice leads to significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Tomatoes

In addition to being a great source of lycopene, tomatoes contain potassium, vitamin C, and other antioxidants helpful for controlling high blood pressure.

Apples

Apples are a top fruit source of quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant shown to improve heart health and lower blood pressure in hypertensive adults. Sweet apples are perfect for juicing.

Blueberries

The anthocyanin antioxidants that give blueberries their color are associated with improved blood vessel function and lower blood pressure. Blend them into green or citrus juices.

Garlic

Garlic boosts the body’s production of nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels. Add a clove or two to vegetable juices for a pungent kick.

Ginger

Ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. Research indicates raw ginger may decrease blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension.

7 Best Juice Recipes to Lower High Blood Pressure

Here are some tasty juice blends to try that take advantage of produce with blood pressure-lowering abilities:

1. Beetroot Apple Carrot Juice

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beetroots, tops removed
• 3 medium carrots, tops removed
• 1 green apple, cored

Instructions: Juice all ingredients and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

2. Green Goodness Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber
• 5 stalks celery
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup kale leaves
• 1 green apple, cored
• 1/2 lemon, peeled

Instructions: Run all ingredients through a juicer. Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

3. Citrus Beet Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 grapefruit, peeled
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 medium beetroot, tops removed
• 1 inch ginger, peeled

Instructions: Juice the fruits and vegetables. Stir and enjoy immediately.

4. Pomegranate Power Juice

Ingredients:

• Seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 1 inch ginger, peeled

Instructions: Juice all ingredients together, stir and drink up for a delicious blood pressure-lowering beverage.

5. Mean Green Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber
• 5 kale leaves
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 1 lemon, peeled

Instructions: Run all ingredients through a juicer, stir and serve.

6. Purple Power Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 beetroot, tops removed
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cucumber
• 5 Swiss chard leaves
• 1 lemon, peeled

Instructions: Juice ingredients together, stir and drink immediately.

7. Tomato Celery Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 4 celery stalks
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions: Juice all ingredients and mix thoroughly before drinking.

Tips for an Effective Juicing Routine

Here are some tips to get the most out of juicing for high blood pressure:

• Use organic produce when possible.
• Wash all produce thoroughly before juicing.
• Drink juices as soon as possible after making them.
• Store juices in an airtight container and consume within 24 hours.
• Add a squeeze of lemon to help preserve juices.
• Use a mix of fruits and vegetables for balanced nutrition.
• Drink juice in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
• Try introducing one new juice recipe per week.
• Keep a log to see how different juices affect your blood pressure.
• Avoid juicing produce high in sugar if you have diabetes.

Should You Take Medication Too?

While raw juices can help control blood pressure, their effects are relatively modest compared to prescription medications. Anti-hypertensive drugs like ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics lower high blood pressure more effectively for most people.

Dietary changes like juicing are best used to enhance the effects of blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor to determine an appropriate treatment plan that safely keeps your blood pressure within a healthy range.

With your physician’s guidance, incorporating beneficial raw juices can be a tasty adjunct therapy for managing hypertension.

The Bottom Line

Drinking raw vegetable and fruit juices can modestly reduce high blood pressure levels, especially when containing ingredients like leafy greens, beetroots, pomegranate, and citrus fruits. Raw juices let you take in a large dose of beneficial plant nutrients in just one serving.

For best results, try some of the juice recipes provided or create your own blends using produce known to improve heart health. Along with medication and other lifestyle changes, a daily serving of raw juice may help you control high blood pressure and reduce associated risks.