Foods That Could Raise Your Blood Pressure

Consuming certain substances can contribute to raising your blood pressure.

Sometimes this increase is temporary, caused by a momentary constriction of your blood vessels.

In other cases, the foods and drinks you consume can cause chronic inflammation and a buildup of plaque in your blood vessels, leading to a more permanent constriction of these vessels, as well as a more permanent rise in blood pressure.

Temporary vs. Permanent Blood Vessel Narrowing

There are two ways that food and other substances you consume can contribute to narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your blood pressure: temporary vasoconstriction and atherosclerosis.

Some foods and substances cause only short-term narrowing, while others cause both short- and long-term narrowing. Even more confusingly, some foods can cause short-term narrowing but protect against longer-term effects.

Here are a few substances to look out for.

Salt and Sugar Cause Short-Term and Long-Term Narrowing of Blood Vessels

Salt and sugar are both vasoconstrictors, meaning, they can cause temporary narrowing and raise your blood pressure. They can also contribute to atherosclerosis over time if consumed in excess.

“Diets that are chronically high in salt can damage your blood vessels due to high blood pressure,” says Kailey Proctor, MPH, RDN, a registered dietitian at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California. “The constant force from blood pressure being too high stiffens blood vessels.”

Most people think the salt shaker is the biggest culprit when it comes to added salt, “but that isn't always the case,” Proctor says. “Oftentimes it is salt from processed foods, such as potato chips, sauces, condiments, frozen meals, and canned goods.”

When possible, opt for low-salt or reduced-salt products. Use lemon, lime, herbs, and spices to season foods instead, Proctor suggests.

Sugar, found in high quantities in processed foods, such as cookies, cakes, sweetened beverages, and candy, can also stiffen blood vessels, both in the short and long term, Proctor says. “This sugar can make blood vessels stiff by increasing inflammation in the body. Foods high in sugar also tend to be calorie-dense, which, when eaten in excess, can cause weight gain.”

Weight gain can also cause blood pressure to rise. “All these combined can cause damage to your blood vessels,” Proctor says.

Caffeine Causes Short-Term but Not Long-Term Narrowing

Debbie Petitpain, RDN, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says that some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others. You can check whether caffeine affects you by measuring your blood pressure before and 30 minutes to two hours after drinking a cup of coffee, keeping in mind that the specific brand and how you brew it can also affect the amount of caffeine in your coffee.

But striking the right balance is key, as too much caffeine over time can actually cause headaches. If you're trying to withdraw from caffeine, do so slowly, to avoid getting a rebound headache.

Licorice Can Cause Short-Term Narrowing but May Protect Against Long-Term Narrowing

Licorice — which is used to make tea, candy and gum, alcoholic beverages, and spices — is a vasoconstrictor food.

The Takeaway

• Vasoconstriction refers to the temporary narrowing of your blood vessels.
• Atherosclerosis is the long-term narrowing of blood vessels caused by a buildup of plaques.
• Salt and sugar can contribute to both vasoconstriction and atherosclerosis.
• Caffeine can be a vasoconstrictor.
• Licorice can be a vasoconstrictor but may also protect against atherosclerosis.