What Are the Best Fruits to Lower Blood Pressure?

A healthy diet can help you manage high blood pressure, including eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition in which the force of blood pumping through the arteries is consistently too high. When this occurs, the walls of the arteries are extended beyond their normal limit, which can lead to damage and scarring and put people at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. 

Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers: 

• Systolic blood pressure (the first/top number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats
• Diastolic blood pressure (the second/bottom number): measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats

High, elevated, and normal blood pressure is usually defined in the following ranges: 

• High blood pressure (hypertension) is 140/90 mmHg or more
• Elevated blood pressure levels between 120/80 and 139/89 are considered prehypertension and mean a person is at higher risk for developing high blood pressure
• Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg 

Diet changes are part of managing high blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include: 

• Bananas
• Apples
• Pears
• Apricots
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Kiwis
• Mangoes
• Watermelon
• Pomegranate
• Plums
• Prunes
• Avocado
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew melon
• Tomatoes 
• Citrus fruits
  • Oranges
  • Lemons 
  • Grapefruit
    • Note: grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with some blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor before consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
• Berries
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Strawberries 
  • Aronia berries (also called chokeberries)
  • Cloudberries

Lifestyle changes are typically the first-line treatment for hypertension, such as: 

• Eating a balanced diet that low in salt
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Exercising regularly
• Limiting or avoiding alcohol
• Managing stress
• Not smoking
• Getting enough sleep
• Taking medications as directed

When medications are needed to treat hypertension, they may include: 

• ACE inhibitors
• Angiotensin II antagonists (ARBs)
• Beta-blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretics (“water pills”)
• Centrally-acting alpha adrenergics
• Peripherally acting alpha-adrenergic blockers
• Vasodilators
• Renin inhibitors
• Combination medicines, made up of two or more different kinds of blood pressure medicines