Does Eating Mustard Help Lower High Blood Pressure?

Eating a balanced, heart-healthy diet is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of high blood pressure, or hypertension, staving off chronic conditions like heart disease and kidney disease as a result. While no food can singlehandedly lower your blood pressure, the mustard plant, including its seeds, oil, and greens, can contribute to a blood pressure–conscious diet in several ways.

Blood Pressure Benefits of Mustard

Spicy and potent, the mustard plant features a number of nutrients known to benefit blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health.

Mustard oil, which is pressed from mustard seeds, is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat that has both anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective qualities. The seeds also contain calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin C, all of which play unique roles in healthy blood pressure regulation.

Mustard greens, the leafy part of the plant, are also rich in vitamin C and a good source of calcium and iron. Mustard greens are high in dietary fiber as well, which is important for both reducing blood pressure and preventing cardiovascular disease. A naturally low-calorie food, mustard greens can support weight loss goals, too, which can lower blood pressure as a result.

Mustard and the DASH Diet

Mustard can be a healthy component of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is an eating pattern clinically proven to help reduce high blood pressure. A 2,000-calorie DASH diet includes four to five daily servings of vegetables, such as mustard greens, and two to three servings of healthy fats, such as mustard oil.

A reduced-sodium diet can also lower your blood pressure, and individuals with high blood pressure should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day. To limit your sodium intake, the DASH diet recommends flavoring your food with spices, such as mustard seed, instead of salt. Mustard greens and mustard oil are naturally low in sodium as well.

Consult a registered dietitian nutritionist for help designing a nutritious diet with the essential nutrients for regulating blood pressure that suits your preferences and lifestyle.

Limitations

Not all forms of mustard are healthy for your blood pressure. Prepared deli mustard, for example, can be high in sodium, and honey mustard dips and sauces can be high in sodium, sugars, and calories.

While still beneficial, dietary modifications on their own aren’t always effective in reducing high blood pressure to a healthy range. If you have hypertension, your doctor may also recommend other lifestyle changes, such as exercise, stress reduction, or prescription medications, to help manage your condition.