High blood pressure often has no warning signs or symptoms. That is why it is called the “silent killer”.

Medication can help lower your blood pressure but they can also come with different side effects such as dizziness, insomnia and leg cramps.

With risk factors such as heart disease, stroke and kidney failure, the need for lifestyle changes such as switching up your diet can help bring your blood pressure down.

Here are some foods that you can add to your diet to help lower your blood pressure.

Fruits and vegetables

Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California have found potassium-rich vegetables like sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, beans and bananas could help lower blood pressure.

Leafy greens

Spinach, Sukuma Wiki and lettuce are naturally high in potassium which can help in lowering your blood pressure.

Unsalted sunflower seeds

Opt for unsalted sunflower seeds to help minimize your salt intake.

Sunflower seeds are a great source of magnesium

Beans

Beans can give you 13% of calcium, 30% of magnesium and 24% of potassium every day.

Bananas

Aside from being a great source of potassium, one medium banana provides 1% of the calcium, 8% of the magnesium, and 12% of the potassium you need every day.

Bananas also help lower stress hormones in the blood.

Yoghurt

One cup of yoghurt contains all you the necessary nutrients to help lower your blood pressure.

Yoghurt contains 12%of the magnesium and 18% of the potassium that your body needs.

Dark chocolate

Having a tiny square of dark chocolate can help lower your blood pressure. Experts recommend eating about 30 calories of dark chocolate to help with blood pressure.