These Ingredients May Be Raising Your Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure—or want to prevent it—what you eat matters. Certain common ingredients found in everyday foods can raise your blood pressure, sometimes without you even realizing it. The good news? Simple swaps can make a big difference. Here's what to watch out for and what to use instead.

1. Salt (Sodium)

Why it raises blood pressure: Salt is the biggest dietary culprit when it comes to high blood pressure. When you eat too much sodium, your body holds onto extra water, which increases the volume of blood in your vessels and makes your heart work harder.[1] There's a direct, linear relationship between how much salt you eat and how high your blood pressure goes.[2] Reducing sodium by just 1,000 mg per day can lower your systolic blood pressure by about 3 mm Hg.[2]

Where it hides: Most of the sodium Americans consume—over 70%—comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.[3] Major sources include bread, deli meats, canned soups, frozen meals, pizza, tacos, burgers, sandwiches, condiments, and packaged snacks.[3-4]

Better choices:

• Use herbs, spices, garlic, lemon juice, or vinegar to flavor food instead of salt[2]

• Try potassium-enriched salt substitutes (75% sodium chloride/25% potassium chloride), which have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stroke risk[2][5]

• Choose fresh foods over processed or packaged options[2]

• Read nutrition labels and select low-sodium versions of canned goods and condiments

2. Added Sugars

Why they raise blood pressure: Added sugars—especially in soft drinks and sweetened beverages—can raise blood pressure independently of their effect on weight gain.[1][6] Studies lasting 8 weeks or longer found that higher sugar intake raised systolic blood pressure by about 6.9 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 5.6 mm Hg.[6] Sugar may also worsen the blood pressure effects of salt when both are consumed together.[7]

Where it hides: Soft drinks, fruit juices with added sugar, candy, baked goods, sweetened cereals, flavored yogurts, and many condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce.

Better choices:

• Drink water, unsweetened tea, or sparkling water with a splash of citrus

• Choose whole fruits instead of fruit juices or sweetened snacks

• Select plain yogurt and add fresh berries for natural sweetness

• Check labels for hidden sugars (look for words ending in "-ose" like fructose, sucrose, or dextrose)

3. Alcohol

Why it raises blood pressure: The relationship between alcohol and blood pressure is well established—any alcohol consumption is associated with higher systolic blood pressure in a dose-response manner.[5] Even moderate drinking can raise blood pressure, and binge drinking has particularly strong effects.[8] Recent evidence suggests that the amount of alcohol that is truly "safe" for blood pressure is zero.[8]

Better choices:

• Sparkling water with lime or lemon

• Mocktails made with fresh fruit and herbs

• Unsweetened iced tea

• If you do drink, limit intake as much as possible

4. Saturated Fat

Why it raises blood pressure: Diets high in saturated fat are associated with higher blood pressure.[9-10] Saturated fat contributes to weight gain and metabolic problems like insulin resistance, both of which raise blood pressure.[5] Guidelines recommend replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats for better heart health.[10]

Where it hides: Red meat, full-fat dairy products (butter, cheese, whole milk, cream), fried foods, baked goods made with butter or shortening, and processed meats.

Better choices:

• Use olive oil instead of butter for cooking

• Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products[10]

• Eat fish, poultry, or plant-based proteins instead of red meat

• Snack on nuts (almonds, walnuts) instead of chips or cheese

5. Processed and Red Meats

Why they raise blood pressure: Processed meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli meats are loaded with sodium and saturated fat.[9-10] Red meat consumption is also associated with higher blood pressure.[9] Guidelines recommend reducing intake of both for better blood pressure control.

Better choices:

• Grilled chicken or turkey breast

• Fish (especially fatty fish like salmon, which provides heart-healthy omega-3s)

• Beans, lentils, or tofu as protein sources

• If you eat deli meat, look for low-sodium, uncured options

6. Caffeine (in Energy Drinks)

Why it raises blood pressure: While moderate coffee consumption may be acceptable for most people, energy drinks are a different story. Studies show that energy drinks can cause significant spikes in blood pressure, primarily due to their high caffeine content combined with other stimulants.[8]

Better choices:

• Regular coffee or tea in moderate amounts

• Green tea (which may have mild blood pressure benefits)

• Water with natural flavor additions

7. Licorice

Why it raises blood pressure: This one surprises many people. Natural licorice root contains a compound called glycyrrhetic acid that blocks an enzyme in your kidneys, causing your body to retain sodium and lose potassium—a recipe for high blood pressure.[8] Even small amounts consumed regularly can cause significant blood pressure increases.

Where it hides: Licorice candy, some herbal teas, certain supplements, and some European candies and cookies.

Better choices:

• Anise-flavored candies (which taste similar but don't contain real licorice)

• Check ingredient labels for "licorice root" or "glycyrrhiza"

The Bottom Line

Making small changes to reduce these ingredients can have a real impact on your blood pressure. The combination of eating less sodium and following a heart-healthy diet like DASH can lower systolic blood pressure by up to 20 mm Hg in people with higher blood pressure—that's as effective as some medications.[11]

Start with one or two changes that feel manageable. Swap processed snacks for fresh fruits and vegetables. Use herbs instead of salt. Choose water over sugary drinks. Over time, these small steps add up to big improvements in your heart health.

REFERENCES

1.Salt and Sugar: Their Effects on Blood Pressure.

Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology. 2015. He FJ, MacGregor GA.

2.Treatment of Hypertension: A Review.

The Journal of the American Medical Association. 2022. Carey RM, Moran AE, Whelton PK.

3.Prevention and Control of Hypertension: JACC Health Promotion Series.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2018. Carey RM, Muntner P, Bosworth HB, Whelton PK.

4.2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Circulation. 2021. Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Vadiveloo M, et al.Guideline

5.2025 AHA/­ACC/­AANP/­AAPA/­ABC/­ACCP/­ACPM/­AGS/­AMA/­ASPC/­NMA/­PCNA/­SGIM Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/­American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2025. Jones DW, Ferdinand KC, Taler SJ, et al.Guideline

6.Dietary Sugars and Cardiometabolic Risk: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials of the Effects on Blood Pressure and Lipids.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014. Te Morenga LA, Howatson AJ, Jones RM, Mann J.

7.Blood Pressure Regulation: Reviewing Evidence for Interplay Between Common Dietary Sugars and Table Salt.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2017. Preuss HG, Clouatre D, Swaroop A, et al.

8.Food Products That May Cause an Increase in Blood Pressure.

Current Hypertension Reports. 2020. Adamczak M, Wiecek A.

9.Dietary Modification for Prevention and Control of High Blood Pressure.

Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2023. Tse YH, Tuet CY, Lau KK, Tse HF.

10.Arterial Hypertension.

Lancet. 2021. Brouwers S, Sudano I, Kokubo Y, Sulaica EM.

11.Effects of Sodium Reduction and The DASH Diet in Relation to Baseline Blood Pressure.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2017. Juraschek SP, Miller ER, Weaver CM, Appel LJ.