The anti-hypertension menu: diet makes the difference

Say goodbye to fat

If you want to combat hypertension at the table, try to avoid fatty foods such as hamburgers, sausages, seasoned cheese, butter, snacks and cakes. Instead, try to eat fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, fish, legumes, lean meat, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, and dried fruit.

Eat high-potassium foods

Potassium is a veritable miracle cure if you have high blood pressure. Foods with a high concentration of this mineral include bananas, oranges, peaches, apricots, kiwis, lentils, potatoes, sea bass and spinach.

Cut your salt intake

You already know it: salt is a sort of poison if you have hypertension. Bear in mind that 54% of the salt you consume is in pre-prepared food: the quantity appears under "sodium" on the label. A recommendation: don't consume more than 2 grams of sodium a day, equivalent to 5 grams of kitchen salt, or one teaspoon.

Stop eating ready meals to fight hypertension

Try to give preference to fresh foods in your diet, and avoid ready-made and frozen meals wherever possible. We also recommend that you reduce your consumption of cold meat and savory snacks. If you have time, cook with homemade stock.

Use spices instead of salt

If you want to cure hypertension, eliminate salt from the condiments of your meals. It will taste odd at first, but you'll soon appreciate the authentic flavour of the food. An alternative? Instead of salt, use spices.

Eat salt-free bread by preference

If you're really committed to reducing your blood pressure, eliminate ready-meals, cured meat, and salt as a condiment. If you eat bread, buy the salt-free variety.

A glass a day keeps the doctor away?

Drinking the occasional glass of wine won't do your health any harm. But if you drink a lot of alcohol, it increases the level of triglycerides in your body, impairs your circulation, and causes your blood pressure to rise. And, of course, alcohol won't help you lose weight either.