Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition where the pressure of blood against the walls of vessels is persistently elevated. A blood pressure close to 120/90 is considered normal and is considered high when it crosses 140/90. There are millions of cases of hypertension reported every year and it can last for years or can even be life-long. What makes hypertension a serious condition is that it often has no symptoms, and if left untreated over a long period of time, it may lead to serious health conditions like heart disease and strokes. Hypertension patients have to take special care of their daily meals and follow a strict high blood pressure diet to manage symptoms of the condition. This season demands that BP patients include healthy summer drinks in their diet.

Adding certain foods and drinks to your daily diet may help regulate symptoms of hypertension. Ideally, high blood pressure patients should eat foods that are low in sodium and saturated fat content and rich in fibre. Eating low-calorie and low-fat nutrient-rich foods and drinks may work wonders for hypertension patients, and during summers, one such BP-friendly drink is coconut water.

Hypertension Diet: Coconut Water For High BP
Coconut water is one of the healthiest summer drinks out there. The translucent liquid that is collected inside a green coconut is widely consumed as a thirst-quencher around the world. However, drinking it daily may have special benefits for hypertension patients. Here's why:

1. Low In Calories
A 100 ml of coconut water contains just 19 calories (according to the United States Department of Agriculture) and no fat or cholesterol.

2. Rich In Potassium
One of the most important minerals for hypertension patients who normally consume salty diet is potassium, which balances out the negative effects of salt. Coconut water contains 250 mg of potassium per 100 ml.

3. Reduces Blood Cholesterol
Blood cholesterol and high blood pressure are linked, as the hardening of arteries can put a strain on the heart by pushing it harder to pump blood. This raises the BP. Coconut water is said to reduce levels of triglycerides and blood cholesterol, thus helping hypertension patients.

A number of studies conducted on the health benefits of coconut water have proven that the drink is not just deliciously hydrating and filled with electrolytes, but may also be quite healthy for high blood pressure patients. Adding chilled coconut water to your hypertension diet this summer may help you improve your BP readings.

Soups are one of the healthiest all-season meals out there. You can have chilled soups in summers and warm soups in winters. The one thing that sets soups apart from all other meals is the comfort-factor. They're convenient to eat, filling and deliver a healthy mix of nutrients from various vegetables, meats and fruits they're made from. The potential of soups as healthy meals is endless and you only need a little bit of creativity to put together a soothing bowl of soup. A good bowl of soup is full of antioxidants, phytochemicals and it also delivers sufficient fibre to fill you up. You can add your favourite vegetables and fruits to it, as well as a number of beneficial herbs to amp up the flavour and nutrition.

Soups can be prepared during monsoons too. In fact, soups are one of the best monsoon meals to tide over your cravings of unhealthy foods. Instead of reaching out for that plate of hot pakoras or samosas, you can instead cook yourself a bowl of soothing soup and settle in a comfy chair in your balcony to watch the rain. The natural healing properties of these soups could help you yield a variety of health benefits too.

Healthy Monsoon Diet: 3 Immunity-Boosting Soup Recipes To Keep Handy

1. Moong Dal Kiwi Coconut Soup Recipe
This is quite a unique recipe that combines the protein-punch of lentils or moong dal with the immunity-boosting power of the kiwi and healthy fats from the coconut. The soup is a filling meal for when you don't feel like preparing an elaborate meal. Kiwi is incredibly rich in Vitamin C and it adds a delicious fruity flavour to this soup.

2. Corn and Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Cauliflower is a vastly underappreciated vegetable that can be used for making almost everything from rice to sauces to pasta, pizza bases and even soups. What's more? Cauliflower also happens to be rich in Vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immunity. A 100 gram portion of the veggie packs in 80 per cent of the daily value of Vitamin C, as per USDA data. Enjoy this corn and cauliflower soup during monsoons!

3. Seafood Broth Recipe
Seafood lovers will especially like this warming broth that contains prawns, sea bass and squid. Prawns are very good for the immune system, due to the presence of zinc in them and consuming them also delivers antioxidant benefits to humans. Seafood is a rich source of protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart and the immune system.

It's important to watch what you eat during monsoons and soups are ideal for those times when you are hungry, but meal time is still not here. Try these soup recipes to treat your palate and your health!

Enjoying the first spell of monsoon showers? Well, so are we. The slight nip in the weather is making us tend towards slightly warming treats. Needless to say, our chaat, pakora and street food cravings are also at an all-time high. While it is absolutely okay to indulge once in a while, if you start bingeing into them more than often, you are bound to see their impact round your waistline. It is advised to eat healthy and fortifying foods at home during monsoons. Your immunity takes a dip during the weather change and you should take all dietary precautions. While you are at it, you can also supplement your diet with weight-loss-friendly foods and lose a kilo or two. Considering the dodgy weather, you might as well be more careful about what you eat and how you eat.

Here are some monsoon diet tips that may facilitate your weight loss goals.
1. Snack right

As we mentioned before, there is no harm in tucking into a greasy pakora here and there, but one must practice portion control. It is fairly easy to snack healthy in monsoon too. Roasted bhutta (corn on the cob), popcorns, fruits are some healthy ideas you can try. These snacks are low-cal and also teeming with many health benefits.

2. Hydrate Yourself

Yes, it is the last leg of summers, but that does not mean you forget your water bottles at home. Hydration helps ensure elimination of toxins. It also plays a significant role in weight loss. At times your brain inter-mixes signals of hunger and thirst. So you start eating, even before realising that you were, actually, just thirsty. Therefore, keep sipping into water, infused water, juices, herbal teas etc. If you keep drinking water, you would also stay full for long and not feel like bingeing into anything fattening so soon.

3. Eat Seasonal Fruits

Including seasonal fruits in your diet could help you load up on a range of antioxidants that could help bolster your immunity and keep infections at bay. Some of the fruits that you can include in your diet are jamuns, litchi, melons, plums, pomegranates, and strawberries. Not only are these fruits delectable to tuck into, but are also profuse with dietary fibres, which could help aid weight loss.

4. Sip On Adrak Chai But Keep A Check On Sugar

A piping hot cup of adrak wali chai is always a delight in this weather, wouldn't you agree? The concoction can do wonders for your throat and immunity. Made with ginger and other herbs like black pepper, clove and cinnamon, adrak chai is a treasure trove of antioxidants. If you do away with dairy and sugar, this herbal tea could also help you lose a kilo or two.

5. Have Soups

Soups are ideal for monsoons. You can throw any veggies of your choice in your soup and make them delectable. Soups ensure healthy inflow of nutrients. Do not refrain from using healing herbs and spices in your soups as they help boost immunity. Since the water content of soup is so high, they help fill you up without any major calorie overload. If you feel full, you would naturally binge less, which would further help your weight loss goals.

Try these healthy diet tips this monsoon and see the results for yourself.

Blood pressure is simply defined as the pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries. There are two components in blood pressure - systolic BP and diastolic BP. The systolic BP is the top number and it represents the pressure the heart generates when it pumps blood to the body, while diastolic BP is the lower number, which represents the pressure in blood vessels between heartbeats. High blood pressure is a condition when both the systolic and diastolic BP is raised above acceptable limits and high blood pressure is called hypertension. What makes high blood pressure so dangerous is that it usually has no discernible symptoms. However, the condition is treatable with the help of medication, exercise and a healthy diet that is low in sodium and fat. There are certain foods and drinks that may help in managing the condition and regulating blood pressure by complimenting the medication

Benefits Of Whole Grains In Hypertension
Typically, a low sodium diet is recommended for people suffering from hypertension. People with high blood pressure are also advised to switch from refined flours to whole grain flours, as well as include more fruits and vegetables in the diet. Whole grains may actually work wonders when included in a high blood pressure diet. A 2010 study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that following a diet rich in whole grains is as effective as anti-hypertensive medication, as these may reduce blood pressure and in extension, reduce the risk of heart diseases, stroke, heart failure etc.

Here are some whole-grain flours that can be included in the hypertension diet:

1. Whole Wheat Flour
One of the most commonly used flours in India is the whole wheat flour, which is supplied by a number of chakkis. Wheat is ground in fresh and used to prepare rotis and chapatis - whole wheat flatbreads are eaten with vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. Whole wheat flour contains good amounts of fibre and proteins.

2. Whole Oats Flour
Whole oats can be turned into flour that can be used to prepare a number of dishes- both sweet and savoury. Rolled oats are one of the best varieties of whole-grain oats that you can lay your hands on. All you have to do then is to blitz the oats in a grinder to a fine powder-like consistency and use it instead of refined flour for making breads, pancakes, etc.

3. Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat is another whole grain that is extremely rich in dietary fibre and proteins. It is also gluten-free and can be consumed by those who have an allergy. The flour can be used to prepare anything, from noodles to breads and snacks like chips and crisps.

4. Barley Flour
Barley, or jau, was one of the first cultivated grains on Earth and this ancient grain has made a comeback. Barley belongs to the grass family, but is widely cultivated as a food grain that is a healthy alternative to refined grains. A 100-gram serving of hulled barley contains a whopping 17 grams of dietary fibre and 12 grams of proteins (as per data by the USDA).

Some people have been known to have allergic reactions to some specific flours. Although these allergic symptoms may rarely show up (if ever), it is better to ensure that these grains are safe for you to eat, before including them in your diet.

Chickpea or chana is one of the most celebrated vegetarian ingredients in the Indian cuisine. Chickpeas are nutritionally, very well endowed and are rich in two of the most important macro nutrients required for a healthy life and for keeping fit- protein and fibre. The middle-eastern dip hummus has been considered a gem by vegans and vegetarians for its incredible nutritional profile, most of which is due to the chickpeas in it. But nowadays, chickpeas are finding their way into more and more dishes around the world, all thanks to the fact that veganism has increasingly become trendy and cool.

One may understand why chickpeas are a treasured find for all vegetarians- they are full of good quality lean proteins, which may be hard to get from a largely plant-based diet. Legumes are also in the same protein-rich league. But chickpeas are also versatile and can be turned into a whole range of delicacies, which combine taste and nutrition. Commonly referred to as safed chana, chickpea is a plant-protein and that you may find an invaluable addition to your diet, especially if you are looking to load up on some much-needed protein.

Chickpea Nutrition And Values
The humble safed chana or chhola that Indians have grown up loving has a nutritional profile that seems to have been tailor-made for fitness freaks. A 100 gram portion of boiled chickpeas contain 9 gm of protein, 8 gm of dietary fibre and no cholesterol (as per data by United States Department of Agriculture). It also contains just 2.6 grams of fat, as well as good amounts of iron and magnesium (16 per cent and 12 per cent of Daily Value respectively). The same portion also contains 164 calories and is fairly filling as well.

Chickpea Benefits
Here are some well-known benefits of chickpea that is also known as the Bengal gram or Egyptian peas:

1. Weight Management
The presence of good amounts of protein and fibre means that chickpeas are suited for a healthy weight loss diet. Both protein and fibre have been known to promote satiety, curbing hunger pangs and helping in weight management.

2. Diabetes Control
Fibre in chickpeas has also been credited with better control over blood sugar and blood lipid levels as well as reduced insulin resistance. High-fibre diets are associated with lower risks of diabetes and high blood sugar levels.

3. Boosts Bone Health
Chickpeas are also said to help boost bone health, as they are rich in essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus as well as Vitamin K. All these micro-nutrients are important for the health of bones in the body.

4. Heart Health
A 2006 study, published in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, linked consumption of chickpeas with reduction in levels of bad cholesterol or Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). High cholesterol has been linked with poor cardiovascular health and so, consuming chickpeas may help in improving heart health.

5. Boosts Health of Nervous System and Liver
The presence of Vitamin B9 or folate in chickpeas makes it good for proper brain and muscle development as well as the smooth functioning of the nervous system and an optimal metabolism. It also helps in metabolisation of fat in the liver and ensures smooth functioning of this crucial organ.

Chickpeas have been known to aid digestion as well, due to the presence of fibre in it. So if you haven't been including chickpeas in your diet, then you may consider doing so for a healthy heart, brain and body.