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Reap the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and improve your blood pressure in this high-fiber meal plan.
Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston.
Updated on August 5, 2024 Reviewed by DietitianJessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes.
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Reap the benefits of the popular Mediterranean diet while focusing on nutrients that support healthy blood pressure in this seven-day meal plan. The Mediterranean diet is endorsed by the American Heart Association as a nutritious eating routine due to its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and healthy fats from foods like fish, nuts and avocado. It’s a flexible way of eating that lends itself to a wide variety of cuisines and flavorful dishes. Because of its focus on nutrient-rich foods, the Mediterranean diet tends to be high in fiber and has many health benefits, including improving blood pressure. Let’s dig in!
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
In this seven-day meal plan, you’ll find an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein from legumes, fish, chicken and nuts. Each day provides an average of 38 grams of fiber. A high fiber intake is linked to many health benefits, such as improved gut health, reduced cholesterol, a lower risk of developing diabetes and even improved blood pressure. In fact, a systematic review found that increased dietary fiber intake was associated with reduced blood pressure. This finding remained consistent across the globe and among a wide variety of populations and health conditions. Because of its focus on fruits, legumes, vegetables and whole grains, the Mediterranean diet tends to be a high-fiber way of eating.
To further promote healthy blood pressure, we capped the sodium at 1,500 milligrams per day, which the American Heart Association recommends as the ideal limit for people with high blood pressure. While we limit sodium, we included plenty of potassium-rich foods. Named our #1 nutrient to lower blood pressure, potassium helps lower blood pressure, in part, by relaxing blood vessels. You’ll find potassium in a variety of foods, such as avocado, banana, spinach, broccoli, beans, lentils, nuts and yogurt.
This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
If there’s a meal you don’t like, feel free to repeat a different meal or choose from our wide variety of healthy high-blood pressure recipes. For daily totals, we aimed for about 1,800 calories, at least 70 grams of protein, a minimum of 34 grams of fiber and a maximum of 1,500 milligrams of sodium.
Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?Definitely! If it’s easier for your routine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it. Each breakfast is approximately 400 to 500 calories, while lunch spans about 450 to 550 calories. These ranges are fairly similar, so a swap shouldn’t be a problem for most people. If you’re closely monitoring calories or other nutrients, you can adjust a snack or two if needed.
Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
What are the benefits of eating more fiber?Fiber is an important nutrient that most of us are missing out on, with just 7% of adults in the United States hitting their fiber goal. Fiber is linked to weight loss, improved blood sugar, regular bowel movements, more diverse gut bacteria and improved heart health.
Research indicates that the Mediterranean diet can help lower blood pressure. One small study of Australian adults over 64 years of age found that adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower blood pressure at three- and six-month follow-ups. With the Mediterranean diet's focus on foods high in potassium and fiber, it makes sense that this healthy way of eating can improve blood pressure levels. It also emphasizes cooking more meals at home, which can be a handy strategy to reduce excess sodium intake. If you’re aiming to reduce your blood pressure, following the Mediterranean can be a helpful strategy.
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