Drinking Cranberry Juice Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

If your blood pressure is higher than 120/80, you could be at risk for hypertension and other heart-related problems. And that’s a major concern if you have renal disease.

If you do have high blood pressure, what can you do about it? Your doctor may recommend medication. Changes to your diet and lifestyle habits can  help too like:

• Losing weight
• Exercising at least 30 minutes a day
• Eating a healthy diet low in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein
• Avoiding alcohol
• Not smoking
• Avoiding caffeine
• Reducing stress

Making these lifestyle changes can have a positive effect on your blood pressure and help you manage renal disease. But there’s at least one more change to your diet you can make that can help lower or control your blood pressure. Drink cranberry juice.

In a 2012 study, researchers found that drinking cranberry juice regularly can help drop blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) by three points. It might not sound like a lot, but it’s enough to bump someone from pre-hypertension back into the normal range, for example. To find out more, read the comprehensive and interesting article Do Cranberries (or their Supplements) Have Health Benefits? We Review the Research.

If you’re going to drink cranberry juice to keep your blood pressure in check, aim for 2 to 3 cups per day. But choose a low-sugar or sugar-free option to avoid the excess calories. If you’re not a fan of cranberry juice, you can still tap into the benefits of this berry by eating fresh or dried cranberries, or taking a cranberry supplement.

If you have renal disease, talk to your doctor about adding cranberries to your diet. It’s possible that too much cranberry in your diet can interfere with fluid balance. The properties of cranberries can also act as a blood thinner, so be aware if you’re taking aspirin or a blood thinner medication.

If you’re cleared to enjoy cranberry juice, what are you going to eat to go with it? Renal-friendly meals, right? You’ll find more than 30 options to choose from on our Renal meal menu like the Denver Frittata, Mashed Potatoes & Cinnamon Apples, Salmon & Vegetable Linguini, Plain Omelet, Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli, and many others.

Our team of professional chefs created these meals based on the nutritional guidelines for those with renal disease. Every meal is made from fresh ingredients and only takes minutes to prepare in the microwave. Pick your favorites and enjoy some cranberry juice to go with it.