Legumes and vegetables: Ideal food choices for people with high blood pressure

6. What are the benefits of legumes for patients with high blood pressure?

**broad bean**

Broad beans, also known as fava beans, Buddha beans, and southern beans, etc.

It has a sweet taste and neutral properties, and can strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness, replenish the middle and boost qi, stop bleeding and lower blood pressure, astringe essence and strengthen the intestines, promote diuresis and reduce swelling, and detoxify and stop leukorrhea.

Broad beans are rich in protein, phospholipids, choline, trigonelline, nicotine, B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium and other nutrients, especially potassium.

Studies have found that the plant protein in broad beans can delay arteriosclerosis, and the crude fiber in broad beans can lower blood cholesterol. Therefore, broad beans have a significant effect on treating arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and anti-aging.

**soy**

Soybeans are known as the "king of beans". They are sweet and neutral in nature, and have the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, moisturizing dryness and promoting diuresis, and promoting blood circulation and detoxification.

Soybeans are rich in nutrients and have high nutritional value.

In addition to being rich in protein and fat, it also contains abundant lecithin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, vitamin E, vitamin A, folic acid, niacin, and soy isoflavone glycosides.

Soybeans contain 35% to 40% protein. The protein content of 500 grams of soybeans is equivalent to that of 1,000 grams of lean pork, 5,500 grams of eggs, or 6,000 grams of milk. Therefore, soybeans are known as "plant meat" and "green milk".

Soybeans contain 15% to 20% fat, mostly unsaturated fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and soften arteries. Therefore, nutritionists recommend them as an ideal food for preventing and treating diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and arteriosclerosis.

**pea**

Modern research shows that peas have a high potassium (K) factor. For example, fresh peas contain 332 mg of potassium and only 1.2 mg of sodium per 100 grams of edible portion, with a K factor of 276.67, ranking first among all edible vegetables. Even dried peas have a high K factor, containing 610 mg of potassium and 4.2 mg of sodium per 100 grams of edible portion, with a K factor of 145.24.

It is evident that, whether fresh or dried, peas have a K factor that far exceeds the defined range for effective blood pressure reduction (K factor ≥ 10).

Modern dietary therapy experts praise peas as "the best bean for lowering blood pressure".

**green beans**

Mung beans are a low-fat, high-nutrient food. Every 100 grams of edible portion contains 12.3 grams of water, 21.6 grams of protein, 0.8 grams of fat, 55.6 grams of carbohydrates, 6.4 grams of dietary fiber, 81 milligrams of calcium, 337 milligrams of phosphorus, and 6.5 milligrams of iron.

In addition, it contains 0.133 mg of vitamin A, 0.25 mg of vitamin B₁, 0.11 mg of vitamin B₂, and 2 mg of nicotinic acid.

Modern research shows that mung beans are an excellent high-potassium food. Not only are they high in potassium, but they are also high in the K factor. Every 100 grams of edible mung beans contains as much as 787 mg of potassium and 3.2 mg of sodium, with a K factor of 245.94. It can be seen that the K factor of mung beans has greatly exceeded the effective range for lowering blood pressure (K factor ≥ 10), and has a very good blood pressure lowering effect.

Mung beans have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, relieving summer heat and promoting diuresis, invigorating qi and relieving irritability, nourishing the heart and dispelling wind, which is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.

It contains high levels of trace elements such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and selenium, which can not only enhance the vitality of blood cells but also improve blood viscosity, reduce resistance to blood circulation, and thus lower blood pressure.

7. Which vegetables and mushrooms are beneficial for people with high blood pressure?

**celery**

There are two types of celery: water celery and dry celery. Dry celery is more commonly consumed and has a stronger aroma. It is also known as fragrant celery. Because it is better for medicinal use, it is also called medicinal celery. It tastes sweet and bitter and is cool in nature. It has the effects of calming the liver and clearing heat, dispelling wind and dampness, refreshing the mind and relieving cough.

Regular consumption of celery can lower blood pressure, calm the nerves, and refresh the mind, making it an excellent vegetable for patients with hypertension and cerebral arteriosclerosis.

Celery contains protein, carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, and P, as well as niacin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, volatile oils, carotene, mannitol, and other nutrients. Its protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin content is higher than that of most vegetables. Celery is rich in vitamin P, which can reduce capillary permeability, soften blood vessels, and has the effect of lowering blood pressure and blood lipids. Drinking juice made from fresh celery with added sugar has a significant preventive and therapeutic effect on hypertension.

Celery is rich in nutrients, delicious, and can be stir-fried or used in cold dishes. It is suitable for both vegetarian and meat dishes, and can also be used as a filling, giving it a unique flavor. It is one of the most popular vegetables.

**asparagus**

Recent studies have shown that asparagine contained in asparagus has many special physiological effects on the human body, such as improving the body's immune function and thus restoring cells to a normal physiological state.

The abundant tissue protein in asparagus can effectively control abnormal cell growth and normalize cell growth.

Each 100 grams of asparagus contains 100 micrograms of carotene and 45 milligrams of vitamin C. It is extremely low in fat and is effective in treating cardiovascular diseases and other organic lesions.

Asparagus also contains a large amount of vitamin P (rutin), as well as mannan, choline, arginine and other components, which are beneficial for maintaining the shape, elasticity and physiological function of capillaries, and have a good effect on treating cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension.

**Momordica charantia**

Modern nutritional studies have shown that bitter melon is a good summer vegetable, rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams contains 93.4 grams of water, 1 gram of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of dietary fiber, 3.5 grams of carbohydrates, 0.1 milligrams of carotene, 0.03 milligrams of vitamin B₁, 0.03 milligrams of vitamin B₂, 0.4 milligrams of niacin, 56 milligrams of vitamin C, 14 milligrams of calcium, 35 milligrams of phosphorus, and 0.5 milligrams of iron.

Among them, the vitamin C content is second to none among melons, which is of great significance for maintaining blood vessel elasticity, maintaining normal physiological functions, and preventing and treating hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents, and coronary heart disease.

It is particularly worth mentioning that bitter melon is a high-potassium food, with 256 mg of potassium per 100 grams of edible bitter melon, while its sodium content is relatively low, at only 2.5 mg, and its potassium factor is 102.4.

For patients with hypertension, regularly consuming high-potassium foods such as bitter melon can help increase the body's potassium factor, thereby lowering blood pressure.

**eggplant**

Modern nutritional studies have shown that eggplant belongs to the food category with a K factor ≥ 20, and its K factor is 21.25.

People with high blood pressure can regularly eat eggplant to replenish the body's essential potassium and promote sodium excretion, thereby lowering blood pressure.

In addition, eggplant (especially purple eggplant, which contains up to 700 mg of vitamin P per 100 grams of edible portion) is rich in vitamin P. Its special function is to reduce the fragility and permeability of human capillaries, enhance the binding force between capillaries and somatic cells, and enhance the repair ability, so that capillaries can maintain a normal state and enhance their elasticity and physiological function, thus preventing blood vessel rupture and bleeding.

Therefore, eggplant is a food that strengthens blood vessel function and is known as a "friend of the cardiovascular system".

Clinical observations have also shown that regularly eating fresh eggplant or taking dried eggplant powder internally can be effective for conditions such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, cerebral hemorrhage, and retinal hemorrhage.