Is Rice Bad for High Blood Pressure? (Expert Answer)

Short Answer: Rice is good for high blood pressure. Because it has magnesium and fiber, and they can lower the blood pressure and prevent artery damage.

High blood pressure is a condition that affects your arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

In high blood pressure, your blood pressure is consistently too high, which means that the force of the blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is too strong.

This can damage your arteries and make them narrow and stiff, reducing the blood flow to your organs and tissues.

This can lead to various health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss.

One of the key factors in managing high blood pressure is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood pressure, which can impact your high blood pressure symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage high blood pressure, you should consume potassium-rich foods like bananas, potatoes, and spinach, and avoid sodium-rich foods like processed meats, canned soups, and salty snacks.

Now, rice is a cereal grain that is the staple food for many people around the world.

People usually cook rice by boiling it in water or broth, or by steaming it.

Rice is good for high blood pressure because it contains magnesium, which is a mineral that helps relax the blood vessels and lower the blood pressure.

Rice also contains fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and prevent plaque buildup in the arteries.

One cup of cooked white rice can give you 19 mg of magnesium (5% of your daily needs) and 0.6 g of fiber (2% of your daily needs).

Magnesium can positively affect high blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels and improving the blood flow.

Fiber can positively affect high blood pressure by reducing the absorption of cholesterol and preventing the narrowing of the arteries.

Furthermore, rice is a complex carbohydrate and complex carbohydrates are good for high blood pressure.

Because, they provide energy and keep the blood sugar levels stable, which can prevent spikes in blood pressure.

You can eat up to three servings of rice per day safely.

More than that can cause weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes, which can worsen high blood pressure.

Also, you shouldn’t eat rice if you have diabetes or prediabetes to prevent high blood sugar levels.

Because, rice has a high glycemic index, which means that it can raise the blood sugar quickly.

You can buy fresh rice in your local market or can order it from online.

Always choose whole-grain rice, such as brown rice or wild rice, over refined rice, such as white rice or instant rice.

Because, whole-grain rice has more fiber, magnesium, and other nutrients than refined rice.

You can store rice in an airtight container in a cool and dry place for up to six months.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing high blood pressure effectively.

I always recommend my high blood pressure patients to follow a high blood pressure-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.

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About the Author

Abdur Rahman Choudhury

Abdur Rahman Choudhury is a nutritionist in West Bengal, India, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biochemistry.

He has done his diploma in nutrition from Fabulous Body Inc (US), and completed various certification courses from several universities. He also has considerable research experience in PCOS.

Abdur currently lives in India and keeps fit by weight training and eating mainly home-cooked meals.

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