If you have high blood pressure, a balanced diet is key to managing the condition — including what you drink.
In the United States, about 116 million adults have hypertension or high blood pressure. About a quarter of these cases are under control.
Managing your blood pressure includes lifestyle strategies, a balanced diet, and medication. Some drinks, including juices, may help to lower blood pressure quickly.
What to drink to lower blood pressure quickly
Some drinks may help lower your blood pressure, and some may do it quickly.
A 2017 study on fruit and vegetable juices and their effect on cardiovascular disease found that certain juices, such as beetroot (beet) juice, could lower blood pressure quickly.
Another study from 2010 found that drinking vegetable juice helped reduce blood pressure after 12 weeks in people with high blood pressure.
Can drinking lemon water reduce blood pressure?
Research on the effects of lemon juice on blood pressure shows mixed results. Some studies say lemon juice can help lower blood pressure, while others found no effect.
An older 2014 study found a positive correlation between drinking lemon juice and decreased blood pressure, and a 2020 study concluded that lemon juice is a cost-effective way to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.
However, another older 2012 study states that drinking lemon juice didn’t have any beneficial effects on lowering blood pressure. The study also said that lemon juice could interact with hypertension medications.
If you have high blood pressure and are considering including lemon juice in your diet, talk with your doctor or healthcare professional first.
Drinks that may help manage high blood pressure
Evidence shows that certain fruit and vegetable juices and natural drinks may help lower and manage your blood pressure.
Beet juice
A 2019 study found that drinking about 70 milliliters (mL) of beet juice per day for 4 weeks could decrease blood pressure in as little as 2 weeks among healthy adults.
An older 2008 study found that people drinking 500 mL of beet juice saw a decrease in their blood pressure after just 3 hours, which links to a similar increase in blood nitrates.
The nitrates in beet juice help improve the body’s blood flow, which plays a key role in regulating blood pressure.
Grapefruit juice
Grapefruit is known to interact with hypertension and high cholesterol medication.
However, a 2020 study states it may help lower blood pressure when combined with beet juice, as it’s said to enhance beet juice’s already positive effects.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), grapefruit juice can prevent the body from fully absorbing some drugs, resulting in too many of the drug’s ingredients remaining in your body. These can cause dangerous effects on your body.
If you’re thinking about adding grapefruit to your diet and you take high blood pressure or high cholesterol medications, consider talking with your doctor or healthcare professional first.
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice, which contains potassium, and vitamins C and K, may aid heart health and lower blood pressure.
A 2017 study found that pomegranate juice can lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure by inhibiting the activity of angiotensin converting enzymes (ACEs). These enzymes increase blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels.
If you’re taking hypertension medications, talk with your doctor before including pomegranate juice in your diet. It could interact with the medication and lower your blood pressure too much.
Learn more about the benefits of pomegranate juice.
Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus tea is high in antioxidants and has many benefits, including lowering blood pressure. According to a small 2019 study, hibiscus tea reduced blood pressure in the study participants who drank two cups of hibiscus tea every morning for a month.
Research on the effect of hibiscus tea on lowering blood pressure states it can take 1.5 hours to become effective. However, more extensive studies are needed to confirm the effects of hibiscus tea on blood pressure.
Skimmed milk
Skimmed milk contains calcium and phosphorus, which may help lower blood pressure. A 2018 study found a positive association between adults who drank more skimmed milk and reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
Drinking 2 servings of potassium-enriched skimmed milk per day for 4 weeks may help lower blood pressure in healthy adults older than 40 years.
Tomato juice
A 2019 study found that drinking 200 mL of unsalted tomato juice per day helped improve diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
The effect of tomato juice on lowering blood pressure may take longer than other drinks. The same 2019 study noted that people saw a reduction in blood pressure after 1 year of drinking unsalted tomato juice. However, the study only recorded the participants’ blood pressure after the 1-year mark, and there were no recorded changes in the blood pressure earlier than that.
Black and green tea
Both black and green tea may help lower blood pressure, but according to a 2020 review of studies, green tea had a more significant effect. However, it may take longer for these teas to become effective.
An older 2012 study found that drinking 3 cups of black tea over a 6-month period improved blood pressure among study participants ages 35–75 years.
Medications for high blood pressure
If a balanced diet, which includes these drinks, and lifestyle strategies are not enough to manage your blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe hypertension medication.
Blood pressure medications include:
- ACE inhibitors
- alpha-blockers
- alpha-2 receptor agonists
- angiotensin II receptor blockers
- beta-blockers
- calcium channel blockers
- combined alpha-beta-blockers
- central agonists
- diuretics
- direct-acting vasodilators
- peripheral adrenergic inhibitors
Learn more about blood pressure treatment.
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Contacting a doctor
If you want to add some of these drinks to your daily diet, consider speaking with your doctor, particularly if you take blood pressure or cholesterol medications. Some of the drinks listed in this article may interact with these medications.
Summary
Hypertension or high blood pressure affects about half of the adults in the United States, which is about 116 million people. However, about a quarter of these cases are well-managed.
Lifestyle strategies, such as exercise and a balanced diet, may help keep blood pressure at expected levels. Some drinks, such as beet juice, pomegranate juice, skimmed milk, and green tea, may help lower blood pressure.
Before you include these drinks in your daily diet, talk with your doctor or a healthcare professional. Some of these drinks can interact with hypertension and high cholesterol medications.
Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.
