Swiss chard

Swiss chard is a leafy green that is rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium that control blood pressure. Cooked chard provides 17 and 30% of your daily requirements for potassium and magnesium, respectively, in one cup (145 grams).

Every 0.6-grams daily increase in dietary potassium is linked to a 1.0 mm Hg reduction in SBP (systolic blood pressure) and a 0.52 mm Hg drop in DBP (diastolic blood pressure) in people with high blood pressure. Swiss chard has 792 mg of this important nutrient in one cup (145 grams). Magnesium is also necessary for controlling blood pressure. In a number of ways, including acting as a natural calcium channel blocker, it lowers blood pressure, preventing calcium from entering the heart and arterial cells and allowing blood vessels to relax.