The #1 Snack to Buy at Walmart to Lower Blood Pressure, According to a Dietitian

Your blood should travel freely through your blood vessels. But if the force of your blood pushing against your artery walls is persistently too high, you can develop hypertension, also called high blood pressure. It’s a chronic disease that affects almost half of adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

If you are focused on managing healthy blood pressure, what you eat matters. Luckily, if you are a Walmart shopper, there are budget-friendly snacks that can help you with that goal. Read on to learn how to choose the best snack—and our top pick at Walmart for healthy blood pressure.

How to Pick a Blood-Pressure-Supporting Snack 

Choose One That’s Lower in Sodium

Many popular snack foods are very salty—and for good reason. Salt helps foods taste good. However, a high sodium intake is often linked to an increase in blood pressure. While sodium plays a key role in regulating the fluid balance in our body, excess sodium in the bloodstream pulls water into blood vessels, boosting the total blood volume inside these vessels. This increases the pressure on artery walls, leading to hypertension. 

There are many sodium-free snack choices out there, especially in the produce aisle. And when it comes to packaged snacks, you can find choices that contain less than 240 milligrams of sodium per serving, which will help you keep your sodium intake relatively low. 

Look for One with the DASH Diet Minerals 

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH diet) is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that aims to prevent or manage high blood pressure. The DASH diet encourages the consumption of three specific nutrients: potassium, calcium and magnesium, all of which are vital for managing hypertension. Choosing a snack that is a good source of at least one of these three nutrients is ideal. If you can find a snack that boasts all three of these micronutrients, even better.

Find One That’s Free of Added Sugars

Adding too much sugar to your blood-pressure-friendly snack can wreak havoc on your heart health, too. According to data published in Nutrients in 2019, there is a significant link between added sugar intake and blood pressure. In fact, reducing added sugar intake by about 2 teaspoons daily can reduce systolic (top number in the blood pressure reading) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure by about 8 and 4 points, respectively, the research found. Ideally, a blood-pressure-friendly snack will be free from added sugars. 

Go for One with Limited Saturated Fats

The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats to support heart health. This type of fat, typically solid at room temperature, may increase your risk of heart disease when consumed in excess. Saturated fats are commonly found in snacks such as potato chips, cookies, pastries and chocolate. 

Aim for One That Includes Protein

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, alongside carbohydrates and fats, that your body needs in large amounts to function properly. It is made up of smaller units called amino acids, which are often referred to as the building blocks of life. Proteins are essential for numerous biological processes such as growth and repair of tissues, making enzymes and hormones, and supporting a strong immune system. 

Lesser known is that protein intake may be linked to healthy blood pressure, especially when individuals consume a wide variety of protein choices, says the AHA. According to a study published in Nutrition Reviews in 2019, focusing on plant-based proteins may offer unique health benefits, like helping support weight management and reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome. 

Make Sure It Tastes Great

Perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing a blood-pressure-friendly snack is that it tastes good to you. Because your snack is only beneficial for your health if you actually eat it. And if your snack doesn’t taste good, chances are, it’s going to just sit sadly in your pantry.

The Best Snack for High Blood Pressure at Walmart

If you are a Walmart shopper and you want to stock up on foods that support healthy blood pressure, you will be hard-pressed to come out empty-handed during your search, as there are many fantastic options on shelves. 

Among the many snack choices out there, Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame is one that should be on your between-meal nosh radar if you have high blood pressure.

Made with only two ingredients—soybeans and salt—this snack is free from any added sugars, contains just 110 milligrams of sodium and has less than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving. In addition, you’ll find 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of satiety-promoting (and possible weight-managing) fiber, as well as calcium and potassium, two nutrients promoted on the DASH diet that help support healthy blood pressure. Finally, the pre-portioned package also helps you stick with one serving size.

Another key feature of this plant-based snack is that it is made of soybeans. Soy packs heart-healthy benefits. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2021, eating soy can help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that may stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which promotes blood flow, the authors explain. Soy may also decrease oxidative stress and inflammation, two driving factors behind high blood pressure. 

The Bottom Line

Walmart carries some delicious snacks that support healthy blood pressure. One snack choice that is convenient, tasty and packed with healthy blood-pressure-supporting nutrients is Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame. Stash this pre-portioned snack in your backpack, purse or desk at work and you’ll have a healthy snack ready when you need it.