Before reading this article, we invite you to click “Follow” to receive daily shares of professional medical popular science knowledge, help you and your family improve the quality of health life, thank you for your support!
Introduction
“Why am I feeling dizzy again?” Grandpa Li rubbed his temple, sitting on the bench in the park to rest. At 68 years old, after retirement, he goes for a walk and dances in the park every day, leading a very fulfilling life.
Recently, he read an article mentioning that elderly people need to supplement more protein, especially the protein in eggs is very good. So, every morning, he eats five or six boiled eggs.
However, not long after, he found himself feeling dizzy from time to time, his vision blurred, and his heart rate increased. When he went to the hospital for a check-up, he found that his blood pressure was significantly higher than normal. What could be the reason for this?
Relationship between high blood pressure and diet
Relationship between high cholesterol and high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a common chronic disease usually caused by a combination of various factors. Diet plays an important role among these factors. High cholesterol is considered one of the important reasons leading to high blood pressure.
High cholesterol increases the lipid content inside blood vessel walls, causing arteriosclerosis and plaque formation, thus increasing the fragility of blood vessels, weakening their ability to regulate blood pressure, making blood pressure rise easily.
Most of the cholesterol in the blood comes from internal synthesis, accounting for about 70%, while dietary cholesterol accounts for about 30%. This means that even if no cholesterol is ingested through diet, the cholesterol levels in the body may still be high.
Importance of diet for high blood pressure patients
For patients with high blood pressure, proper dietary adjustments are crucial. Many people wrongly believe that as long as they avoid high-cholesterol foods, they can control their blood pressure. In fact, other components in the diet, such as sodium and sugar, also significantly affect blood pressure. Therefore, high blood pressure patients need to have a comprehensive understanding of the impact of various foods on blood pressure and arrange their diet scientifically.
Relationship between eggs and high blood pressure
Effects of egg intake on high blood pressure
Eggs are a nutritious food rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. For the general population, moderate egg consumption is beneficial to health.
For patients with high blood pressure, caution is needed regarding egg intake. Some people worry that the cholesterol in eggs may raise blood lipids, indirectly leading to high blood pressure. However, this concern may be unnecessary.
Although egg yolks contain high cholesterol, daily cholesterol intake should be less than 200mg, and it is safe for most people to eat 4 eggs per week.
Moderate egg consumption not only does not raise blood pressure but may also help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.
Nutritional value of eggs and suitable ways of consumption
Nutrients in eggs
Eggs are a nutrient-rich food containing abundant protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Each egg contains about 6g of high-quality protein, an important source of protein for the human body.
Eggs are also rich in vitamins A, D, B12, various vitamins, as well as minerals like iron, zinc, selenium, which are crucial for human health.
Healthiest ways to cook eggs
Although eggs are highly nutritious, different cooking methods can affect the nutritional content of eggs. Boiling is one of the healthiest ways to cook eggs because it can preserve the nutrients in eggs, such as protein and vitamins, to the maximum extent and does not add extra fat and calories.
In contrast, high-temperature cooking methods like frying and deep frying can cause protein denaturation in eggs, loss of some vitamins and minerals, and also increase fat intake. For patients with high blood pressure, these cooking methods are not conducive to health.
Suitable consumption amount and individual differences
Despite the high nutritional value of eggs, patients with high blood pressure still need to control their egg intake. According to the Chinese Nutrition Society’s recommendations, the daily intake of cholesterol for an average adult should not exceed 300mg, and each egg contains about 186mg of cholesterol.
High blood pressure patients should consume one or two eggs per day to avoid excessive cholesterol intake that may adversely affect blood fats.
Individual differences also need to be considered, as some individuals may be more sensitive to cholesterol and need to be more cautious in controlling egg intake.
Foods to avoid for high blood pressure patients
Effects of high-sodium foods on blood pressure
Patients with high blood pressure need to pay special attention to their sodium intake in their diet because a high-sodium diet is a major cause of high blood pressure.
Sodium is an important mineral that plays a crucial role in nerve conduction and water balance in the body. However, excessive sodium intake can increase the concentration of sodium ions in the body, leading to an increase in blood volume and blood pressure.
Patients with high blood pressure need to avoid consuming heavily salted foods like salted fish, pickled foods, instant noodles, and opt for low-sodium foods like fresh vegetables and fruits.
Effects of high-sugar foods on blood pressure
In addition to high-sodium foods, patients with high blood pressure also need to be cautious about the intake of high-sugar foods in their diet. A high-sugar diet not only easily leads to obesity and metabolic diseases like diabetes but also has adverse effects on blood pressure.
Long-term high-sugar diets can cause insulin resistance, leading to elevated blood sugar and insulin levels, which in turn can cause vascular damage, increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Patients with high blood pressure should minimize sugar intake and avoid consuming sugary beverages, pastries, desserts, and high-sugar foods.
Effects of high-fat foods on blood pressure
Furthermore, patients with high blood pressure should also avoid consuming high-fat foods, especially foods high in saturated fatty acids. A high-fat diet can increase blood cholesterol levels, aggravate deposition in blood vessel walls and arteriosclerosis, affecting blood vessel elasticity and blood pressure regulation. Patients with high blood pressure should opt for low-fat foods like lean meat, legumes, nuts and avoid oily and fried high-fat foods.
Summary and recommendations
Recommended intake of eggs
For patients with high blood pressure, consuming eggs in moderation is feasible and even beneficial to health. Eating one or two eggs per day, cooked by boiling, can maximize the retention of nutrients in eggs, avoid excessive intake of cholesterol and fat, and help maintain stable blood pressure.
Importance of diet adjustments for high blood pressure
In addition to eggs, patients with high blood pressure need to pay attention to their intake of sodium, sugar, and fat in their diet, avoid consuming high-sodium, high-sugar, and high-fat foods, especially salted fish, pickled foods, desserts, etc.
Proper diet adjustments are crucial for controlling blood pressure, preventing cardiovascular diseases. Patients with high blood pressure should take active measures to maintain healthy dietary habits, along with medication, to improve their quality of life.
