Blood Pressure Lowering Teas and Nourishing Soups: A Selection of Dietary Therapy Recipes for Hypertension Patients

**10. Which drinks are beneficial for people with high blood pressure?**

**Lotus Leaf Tea**

Traditional Chinese medicine practice shows that lotus leaf infusions and decoctions have the effects of dilating blood vessels, clearing heat and relieving summer heat, and lowering blood pressure.

At the same time, lotus leaves are also a good remedy for weight loss and fat reduction.

The method of drinking this beverage to treat hypertension is as follows: Wash and chop half a fresh lotus leaf, add an appropriate amount of water, boil it, let it cool, and drink it as tea.

**Locust Flower Tea**

After picking and drying the flower buds of the locust tree, steep them in boiling water and drink the infusion as tea several times a day. This has a unique therapeutic effect on high blood pressure.

In addition, locust flowers also have the effects of constricting blood vessels and stopping bleeding.

**Kudzu Root Tea**

Kudzu root can improve blood circulation in the brain and can effectively relieve symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus, and lower back and leg pain caused by high blood pressure.

Regular consumption of kudzu root tea has a significant therapeutic effect on hypertension. The method of preparation is to wash the kudzu root, cut it into thin slices, take 30 grams daily, add water and boil it, then drink it as tea.

**Lotus Seed Tea**

The so-called lotus seed heart refers to the green embryo in the middle of the lotus seed. It tastes extremely bitter, but it has excellent effects in lowering blood pressure and reducing lipids.

Steep 12 grams of lotus seeds in boiling water and drink it as tea, once in the morning and once in the evening. In addition to lowering blood pressure, it also has the special effects of clearing heat, calming the mind, and strengthening the heart.

**Cassia Seed Tea**

The traditional Chinese medicine cassia seed has the effects of lowering blood pressure, lowering blood lipids, clearing the liver and improving eyesight.

Regular consumption of cassia seed tea has a special effect in treating hypertension.

Drinking 15-20 grams of cassia seeds steeped in water several times a day as a tea substitute is an excellent remedy for high blood pressure, dizziness, and blurred vision.

**mulberry tea**

The Chinese herbal medicine mulberry mistletoe is an essential remedy for tonifying the kidneys and replenishing blood.

Clinical studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine have shown that using a decoction of mulberry mistletoe as a tea substitute has a significant auxiliary therapeutic effect on hypertension.

The method for making mulberry mistletoe tea is to take 15 grams of dried mulberry mistletoe, decoct it for 15 minutes, and drink it once in the morning and once in the evening.

**Corn Silk Tea**

Corn silk not only has a good effect on lowering blood pressure, but also has the effects of stopping diarrhea, stopping bleeding, promoting urination and nourishing the stomach.

Brew as tea and drink several times a day, 25-30 grams each time.

In clinical practice, corn silk is particularly effective in treating edema and hypertension caused by nephritis.

**Hawthorn and Wood-scented Tea**

Ingredients: 15g black tea, 25g roasted hawthorn, 6g costus root, a small amount of white sugar.

Instructions: Simmer black tea, roasted hawthorn, and costus root in water until about 500 ml is made. Then add sugar and stir well.

Efficacy: Regulates Qi and harmonizes the stomach, promotes digestion and stops diarrhea, lowers blood pressure and lipids.

Indications: All types of hypertension.

**Hawthorn and Sunflower Seed Tea**

Ingredients: 50g hawthorn, 50g sunflower seeds, 100g brown sugar.

Instructions: Put the above ingredients into a pot with an appropriate amount of water and simmer to make soup.

Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen, replenishes the middle jiao (spleen and stomach), and invigorates qi.

Indications: All types of hypertension.

**Uncaria and Lychee Drink**

Ingredients: 12g Uncaria rhynchophylla, 15g dried lychee, rock sugar to taste.

Instructions: Boil the Uncaria rhynchophylla and dried lychee together in water, remove the dregs and extract the juice, then add rock sugar.

Efficacy: Clears the liver and benefits the head and eyes.

Indications: Hypertension due to liver yang hyperactivity.

**Sterculia lychnophora and licorice tea**

Ingredients: 3 pieces of Malva nut, 3 grams of licorice root.

Instructions: Wash the Malva nut and licorice root, and put them in a pot.

Add 100 ml of water, put the pot on low heat and steam for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before drinking.

Efficacy: Clears lung heat, opens lung qi, and clears the intestines to relieve constipation.

Indications: All types of hypertension.

**Water chestnut and kelp juice**

Ingredients: 500g fresh water chestnuts, 50g kelp.

Instructions: Peel the water chestnuts, wash and chop the kelp, add an appropriate amount of water and boil together for 60 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

Efficacy: Lowers blood pressure.

Indications: All types of hypertension.

**Water Chestnut Soy Milk**

Ingredients: 300g soy milk, 5 water chestnuts.

Instructions: Wash and peel the water chestnuts, boil them in boiling water for one minute, mash them, strain the juice through cheesecloth, put them in a pot, stir them with soy milk, and heat to a boil.

Efficacy: Clears heat and cools blood, moistens dryness and replenishes deficiency.

Indications: Hematuria and hypertension.

**Garlic Honey Yogurt**

Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves pickled in honey, 100 ml of sour milk, 10 ml of honey.

Instructions: Break open the honey-soaked garlic cloves, remove the stems, chop them, and put them into a home blender with the yogurt. Blend quickly until smooth, extract the juice, add honey, and mix well.

Efficacy: Eliminates indigestion and detoxifies, promotes blood circulation and lowers blood pressure.

Indications: All types of hypertension.

**11. Which types of soup are beneficial for patients with high blood pressure?**

**Pig's Trotter and Soybean Soup**

Ingredients: One pig's trotter (about 400 grams, preferably not the front trotter), 50 grams of soybeans, appropriate amounts of scallions, ginger, rice wine, salt, chicken essence, and pepper.

Method: (1) Soak soybeans in water for 2-3 hours and wash them with water.

(2) First, cut the pig's trotters in half lengthwise, wash them to remove any remaining hair, and then cut each piece into four pieces horizontally.

(3) Blanch in boiling water to remove blood and impurities and set aside.

(4) Put the pig's trotters and soybeans into a pot at the same time, add water and an appropriate amount of rice wine, and put the scallions and ginger into the pot in a gauze bag.

(5) Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then simmer over low heat until the pig's trotters are tender.

(6) Add appropriate amounts of salt and chicken essence, and add a small amount of pepper when eating.

Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen, removes dampness, and promotes bowel movements.

Indications: Hypertension.

**Loofah, tofu, and lean pork soup**

Ingredients: 60g lean pork, 250g loofah, 2 blocks of soft tofu, salt, sugar, cornstarch, and chopped green onions as needed.

Method: (1) Peel the loofah, wash it, and cut it into thick slices; cut the tofu into cubes.

(2) Wash the lean pork, cut it into thin slices, and mix it with salt, sugar and cornstarch.

(3) Add two large bowls of water to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. First, add tofu and sliced ​​meat and bring to a boil. Then add loofah and cook for a few minutes until the loofah and sliced ​​meat are just cooked. Add chopped green onions and season to taste.

Efficacy: Clears heat and generates fluids, relieves summer heat and replenishes qi, nourishes deficiency and harmonizes the middle jiao.

Indications: Hypertension due to deficiency of both Qi and Yin.

**Bitter Melon, Seaweed, and Cuttlefish Soup**

Ingredients: 100g fresh cuttlefish, 100g bitter melon, 50g seaweed, appropriate amounts of scallions, ginger, garlic, and vegetable oil.

Method: (1) Soak the seaweed until it expands and then wash it clean; remove the purple membrane from the fresh squid and wash it clean; wash the bitter melon, cut it in half, remove the seeds and pith and then slice it; chop the scallions, slice the ginger, and peel and slice the garlic.

(2) Heat the vegetable oil to 60% heat, add garlic, ginger and scallions and sauté until fragrant. Add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil, then add cuttlefish slices, bitter melon slices and seaweed. Bring to a boil again, then simmer over low heat for about half an hour.

Efficacy: Strengthens the kidneys and calms the mind, clears heat and detoxifies.

Indications: Hypertension due to kidney yin deficiency.

**Lotus Root, Wheat Leaf, and Egg Soup**

Ingredients: 500 ml pork bone broth, 50 g buckwheat leaves, 10 lotus root segments, 3 eggs, salt, MSG, and scallion whites as needed.

Method: (1) Wash the lotus root and buckwheat leaves, and peel the eggs after they are cooked.

(2) Place pork bone broth and lotus root in a casserole dish, bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes, add eggs, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, then add buckwheat leaves, salt, MSG and scallions.

Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen and stomach, cools the blood and stops bleeding, clears heat and promotes the production of body fluids.

Indications: Hypertension.

**Seaweed and Dried Scallop Lean Pork Soup**

Ingredients: 25g seaweed, 50g dried scallops, 300g lean pork, ginger slices and salt to taste.

Method: (1) Soak the seaweed thoroughly and rinse it clean; wash and tear the dried scallops into pieces; wash and slice the lean pork.

(2) Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add dried scallops and ginger slices. Simmer over medium heat for one hour. Add seaweed and lean pork. Simmer for half an hour until the lean pork is cooked through. Season with salt.

Efficacy: softens hard masses and resolves phlegm, clears heat and promotes diuresis, lowers blood pressure and aids weight loss.

Indications: All types of hypertension.