What is the best late night snack for people with high blood pressure? Half adults worldwide admit to going for a snack after 8 p.m. Many opt for salty crackers or chips, but it is not the best option if you have high blood pressure. They are full of sodium. It can raise your blood pressure, which is just the opposite of your goal.
Snack for high blood pressure: how to select
It is important to choose snacks that won’t make things worse. This is the first selection criteria. If snacks can lower your blood pressure, it is even better! The main purpose of snacks is to keep you satisfied between meals. Yet another purpose is to prevent you from waking up hungry at night.
The best snack for high blood pressure is…
You may not expect it, but dietitians recommend kefir. Here’s why. Kefir is a creamy fermented milk product. It has a slightly tangy taste and resembles a milkshake in consistency. It has essential nutrients: probiotics, magnesium and potassium. This helps lower blood pressure.
Kefir comes in many varieties. There are non-fat, low-fat and whole milk options. Kefir comes flavored and unflavored. The plain kefir is easy to dress up with either sweet or savory flavors, depending on what you prefer. Try raspberry or mint flavors.
What makes kefir a great snack for high blood pressure?
Kefir is rich in probiotics. It is an assortment of beneficial bacteria. They are also called the “good bugs”. Foods rich in probiotics, like kefir, improve digestion, balance gut bacteria, support immune and brain health. Probiotics in kefir impact heart health positively by helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
How is it done? Research indicates that some probiotic strains in kefir bind to cholesterol. Thus, they alter its absorption. It helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. Also, they balance out gut bacteria. The imbalance of gut bacteria contributes to high blood pressure in some people.
Studies of people with metabolic syndrome found that those who drank kefir experienced lower blood pressure. Not only that, they reached reduced fasting blood sugar and lower LDL (known as “bad” cholesterol levels). In the same time, they showed an increase in HDL (known as “good” cholesterol. Other studies of people with high blood pressure found that those who drank one cup of kefir daily for 28 days experienced a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure.
Kefir contains potassium
Bananas are not the only food that contains potassium. A cup of kefir contains almost as much potassium as a medium banana. One banana of medium size contains 422 mg, while 1 cup of kefir has 399 mg.
Potassium relaxes blood vessel walls. This lowers blood pressure, as blood flows more freely. Further, research has found a high potassium intake is linked to lower blood pressure numbers, even in non-hypertensives.
Kefir contains magnesium
Also, kefir contains magnesium, a mineral that relaxes blood vessels. It regulates muscle and nerve functions. Besides that, magnesium helps us sleep. Kefir soothes you to sleep.
Kefir is low in sodium
The best late night snack for people with high blood pressure is naturally low in sodium, containing just 97 mg per cup. Foods considered to be “low sodium” contain 140 mg sodium or less per serving.
