We asked a doctor what foods to avoid for healthy blood pressure

Medically reviewed by Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI

Key Takeaways

• Avoid salt, which can be hidden in high amounts in pizza, deli meats, and frozen dinners.
• High sugar intake is associated with high blood pressure.
• Alcohol use can contribute to hypertension.

Limiting certain foods can help you to control high blood pressure, which affects nearly a third of all Americans. Here’s a healthcare provider’s advice on nine foods to avoid.

1. Salt

The average American eats 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily, more than the 2,300 mg recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.

The American Heart Association recommends even less—1,500 mg per day—and says that most people could improve their blood pressure and heart health by cutting their daily intake by 1,000 mg.

Be sure to read your food labels to check for the amount of salt per serving.

2. Processed Foods

A healthy diet is much easier to achieve if you avoid processed foods. Processed foods are frequently laden with salt, an ingredient that ​can raise blood pressure.

More than 75% of your diet’s salt may come from packaged foods, and the most efficient way to reduce your salt intake is to avoid these items.

Fast foods are also processed heavily and full of salt, which is added to improve the taste.

3. Deli Meats and Bacon

Deli meats and bacon tend to contain a lot of salt. For example, one serving of Genoa salami has 910 mg of sodium, and just three slices of deli turkey can have over 1,000 mg.

Healthier options include roast beef, pork tenderloin, roasted or grilled chicken, and turkey without added preservatives. Buy these in small amounts or freeze them in portions.

A 2-ounce serving of roasted turkey (no skin) has about 40 mg of sodium; two ounces of roast beef has just 26 mg.

Bread is another hidden source of sodium—about 200 mg per slice. Since it adds up fast, try pairing half a sandwich with a salad to cut back on sodium.

4. Frozen Pizza

Many Americans eat frozen pizza at least once a week. In addition to processed meats, the cheese in frozen pizza can increase your salt intake.

Tomato sauce frequently has over 400 milligrams of sodium per half cup.

Pizza crust adds more sodium, and to make frozen pizza flavorful, manufacturers add even more salt to improve the taste. One slice of a frozen pizza can easily have over 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

5. Pickles

Pickles are made by curing them in a salty brine, a method of food preservation.

A dill pickle spear may have 300 milligrams of sodium.

An entire pickle can contain half of your daily recommended sodium serving or more.

6. Canned Soup

Although a serving of soup may seem like a healthy choice, if you’re watching your blood pressure, you may want to avoid canned soup.

Low-sodium versions are available, and you can easily make and freeze your soups in individual portions.

If you make your own soup, you can limit the amount of salt used for flavoring and substitute other spices or herbs.

7. Sugar

People with hypertension should avoid foods and drinks that are sweetened with sugar.

Although it might be obvious that sugar can lead to weight gain and even obesity, high sugar intake is also associated with high blood pressure.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to nine teaspoons daily​ for men and six teaspoons for women. U.S. dietary guidelines call for no more than 10 grams of added sugar per meal.

8. Trans Fats and Saturated Fats

If you have high blood pressure, avoid foods high in saturated and trans fats.

Saturated fats are found in dairy, red meat, and chicken skin, while most trans fats come from processed and packaged foods.

Trans fats, often labeled as hydrogenated oils, are made by solidifying oils with air.

Both types of fat can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, which can clog and stiffen arteries, and raise blood pressure, leading to increased blood pressure and heart disease.

9. Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is also not a good idea for your heart, since it raises blood pressure. Studies have shown, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed, that no amount of alcohol is safe for health.

Chronic use of alcohol can lead to an increase in blood pressure over time, and even one drink can change the way your blood pressure medication works.

If you are a chronic drinker, you should also be aware that alcohol can cause you to pack on the pounds: there are a lot of calories in alcohol, and if you are overweight, you are at a greater risk of developing hypertension.

Read the original article on Verywell Health