5 best cooking oils for people with high blood pressure

High blood pressure and hypertension are serious conditions which, if not taken care of, can prove to be fatal. Heart attacks and strokes are both caused by irregularities in one’s blood pressure.  And the very first step towards controlling that is your diet.

According to The American Heart Association, those suffering from heart disease must follow a well-balanced diet, low in sodium and saturated fats. Solid fats like butter contribute a high level of saturated fat to your diet.

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Therefore, switching to healthier alternatives is the best option and how better to start than by changing the very oils your food is cooked in? Even the richest of foods can be made healthy if cooked in the right way and picking the right oil can help with that. As compiled from Pinkvilla, here are the five best cooking oils for people suffering from high blood pressure.

Almond oil

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This distinctive and nutty flavoured liquid is not only tasty but also quite low in saturated fats. A diet rich in almonds may help to reduce blood pressure, thereby safeguarding one against cardiac and other medical issues.

Canola oil

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Did you know that canola oil has one of the lowest levels of saturated fats? And that makes it a good choice to keep your heart healthy. This oil contains monounsaturated fats which are great for blood pressure and overall health. It contains only 7% saturated fats and a very high amount of polyunsaturated fat which, again, is a good kind of fat.

Soybean oil

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The fat composition of soybean oil is 61% of polyunsaturated fats, 24% of monounsaturated fats and just 13% of saturated fats. Due to this, it is ideal for patients of high blood pressure. Stick to the liquid version of soybean as solid forms contain unhealthy trans-fats that can put your heart at a higher risk. Soybean oil is particularly good for cooking vegetables at a low heat or simply to add some extra flavour to a salad.

Olive oil

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Olive oil contains 74% of monounsaturated fat. This type of fat reduces the risk of heart diseases. Try to use the extra virgin variety of olive oil as it because it contains more vitamin E than other varieties available and so, is good for your heart and your skin too. Not to mention, olive oil has a high smoking temperature which makes it ideal for for frying foods.

Sunflower oil

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This oil is extracted from sunflower seeds and has the highest level of vitamin E in comparison to all other vegetable oils. Vitamin E plays an important role in normalising blood pressure and managing hormones. Each tablespoon of sunflower oil contains 5.6mg of vitamin E according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. It is important to get at least 15mg of sunflower oil every day in your diet.

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