Does lemon lower blood pressure? how it works and how to take it

Lemon juice can be an excellent natural supplement to help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, or in people who suffer from sudden attacks of high blood pressure.

Some studies indicate that lemon juice can even be a quick and homemade way to lower blood pressure within 15 minutes after a sudden increase.

However, the use of lemon should not replace regular physical exercise, a balanced, low-salt diet or the use of any type of medicine prescribed by a doctor, and should only be included in the diet to help regulate the blood pressure more easily.

Why lemon works

The mechanism of action that helps lemon to regulate blood pressure is still not known for sure, however, and according to studies that have been carried out on animals and humans, there are at least 2 types of compounds that may be responsible for the explanation. of this effect, being:

• Flavonoids: these are compounds naturally present in lemon, especially in the peel, such as hesperidin and eriocitrin, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects, regulating blood pressure;
• Acid ascorbic: appears to prevent the degradation of nitric oxide, an important type of gas that causes vasodilation, that is, it dilates blood vessels, facilitating blood circulation and reducing pressure.

Since it is not yet possible to attribute the antihypertensive action to just one of these components, it is also believed that its effect may be in the combination of the various lemon compounds.

In addition to all this, lemon also has a diuretic action, which prevents the accumulation of fluids in the body and helps regulate blood pressure.

How to consume lemon

Therefore, drinking the juice of 1 medium lemon, at least once a day, can be a good way to regulate blood pressure in those with high blood pressure. This juice can be diluted in a little water, especially for those who are more sensitive to lemon acidity.

Likewise, lemon can also be used during a hypertension crisis. But in this case, the ideal is to drink the pure juice and wait 15 minutes before reassessing your blood pressure. If it does not decrease, you should take the medicine recommended by your doctor for SOS, if available, or go to the hospital if more than 30 minutes have passed.

Lemon recipes for high blood pressure

In addition to simple juice, lemon can also be consumed with other foods that have proven action against high blood pressure, such as:

1. Lemon with ginger

In addition to being rich in potassium, when you mix lemon with ginger, there is an increase in vasodilatory action, which makes the blood flow better and with lower pressure.

Due to the great vasodilating action of ginger, the effect of some medications used to treat blood pressure can be enhanced, lowering blood pressure excessively. Therefore, before using this natural remedy, it is important to consult the cardiologist or doctor who is prescribing the treatment.

Ingredients:

• 3 lemons;
• 1 glass of water;
• 1 tablespoon of ginger;
• Honey to taste.

Preparation mode:

Remove all the lemon juice with the help of a juicer and crush the ginger. Then, add all the ingredients to the blender, beat well and sweeten to taste with honey.

This juice can be taken up to 3 times a day, between meals.

2. Lemon with blueberries

Blueberries are a super fruit that has strong antioxidant power, as well as helping to regulate blood pressure. Therefore, this lemon juice with blueberries is especially recommended for those at higher cardiovascular risk, that is, people who are overweight or have other chronic diseases such as diabetes, for example.

Ingredients:

• 1 handful of fresh blueberries;
• ½ glass of water;
• ½ lemon juice.

Preparation mode:

Place the ingredients in the blender and blend until you obtain a homogeneous juice. Then strain and drink up to 2 times a day.

Discover others that also help regulate high blood pressure in the following video: