- What you eat can influence blood pressure, and fruit is a great choice.
- Frozen fruits maintain their blood-pressure-friendly nutrients.
- Nosh on avocado, cranberries, wild blueberries, mango and tart cherries.
Managing your blood pressure isn’t just about limiting salt—it’s also about adding more fiber, potassium and magnesium to your diet. Eating more fruit is an excellent way to increase your intake of these nutrients. Studies even show a link between eating more fruit and a lower risk of hypertension. But you don’t have to rely solely on fresh fruits to increase your intake—frozen fruits have all the nutritional value of fresh fruits but with a much longer shelf life.
Here are dietitians’ top 5 picks for frozen fruits to lower blood pressure, plus some simple and delicious ways to incorporate them into your meals and snacks.
1. Avocado
Avocados are a treasure trove of blood-pressure-friendly nutrients. One avocado has 9 grams of fiber, 690 milligrams of potassium, and 39 milligrams of magnesium. If your goal is to lower blood pressure, Jessica Brantley-Lopez, M.B.A., RDN, recommends adding frozen avocado to your diet. “A 2023 study showed a significant reduction in hypertension for women who consumed 5 or more servings of avocado per week,” says Brantley-Lopez. In the study, participants who ate at least 5 servings of avocado per week had a 17% lower rate of hypertension compared to those who consumed fewer servings of avocado.
2. Cranberries
For a tart addition to smoothies, baked goods, or oats, try frozen cranberries. One study found that cranberry supplementation helped lower participants’ systolic blood pressure, with the greatest reductions in people over 50.
There is also evidence suggesting that supplementing with proanthocyanidins, a compound in cranberries, could significantly lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. “Frozen cranberries are rich in a specific type of antioxidant called proanthocyanidins, which support vascular function and help reduce oxidative stress,” says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian. “These compounds can also improve flow-mediated dilation, helping arteries expand more easily in response to blood flow and supporting healthy blood pressure.”
3. Wild Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that can help lower blood pressure, and wild blueberries give you even more nutritional bang for your buck. “Wild frozen blueberries are rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols—the bright blue compounds that help protect blood vessel linings from oxidative stress, increase nitric oxide to relax vessels, and reduce inflammation,” says Routhenstein.
“Wild blueberries stand out from ordinary blueberries because they contain twice the antioxidant power and 33% more anthocyanins,” says Kitty Broihier, M.S., RD, adjunct nutrition instructor at Southern Maine Community College.
One study found that consuming the powdered equivalent of about 1 cup of wild blueberries improved vascular function and reduced systolic blood pressure in older adults. Regular blueberries have also been linked with blood pressure benefits, so if you can’t find wild ones, regular frozen blueberries will also offer some benefits.
4. Mango
“Frozen mango is a good source of potassium, which helps the body excrete excess sodium and eases tension in blood vessel walls,” says Routhenstein.
One mango has 564 milligrams of potassium, or 12% of the daily value (DV). A mango also provides 5 grams of fiber and 34 milligrams of magnesium. In a small 2022 study, eating 280 grams—about 1.5 cups—of mango per day for 8 weeks lowered participants’ systolic blood pressure by 3.5%. That said, this was a small study, so more research is needed to confirm the blood pressure benefits of eating mangos.
5. Tart Cherries
Remember the TikTok sleepy girl mocktail trend that put tart cherries on everyone’s radar? Turns out, their sleep-related benefits may indirectly support healthy blood pressure. “Frozen tart cherries naturally contain melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, which helps support healthy blood pressure. Better sleep quality is linked to lower blood pressure and improved vascular health,” says Routhenstein.
Studies have found that tart cherries can significantly improve sleep quality and duration. Plus, they’re loaded with anthocyanins that can help lower inflammation. Although studies haven’t found a strong, direct link between tart cherries and lower blood pressure, their effects may be more related to improved sleep and reduced inflammation—both factors that can influence blood pressure.
4 Ways to Enjoy Frozen Fruits
- Whip up a fruit smoothie. Frozen fruit is perfect for blending into a smoothie. Using frozen fruit eliminates the need for ice, packing more nutrition in every sip.
- Add them to oatmeal. Whether it’s overnight oats or hot cereal, frozen fruit is an easy way to add more fiber and other blood-pressure-lowering nutrients to your oatmeal. Frozen berries work especially well in oatmeal dishes. For overnight oats, add the frozen berries at the start so they can thaw as the oats soak. For oatmeal, stir them into the cooked oats, allowing them to thaw from the warmth of the oats. Frozen fruit can also be used in baked oats.
- Toss them in chia pudding. Just like overnight oats, frozen fruit is a great addition to chia pudding. Mix the fruit with the chia seeds and liquid before soaking, and it’ll thaw by the time the chia pudding is ready to eat.
- Make “nice cream.” If you want a cool, creamy dessert, use frozen fruit to make “nice cream.” With just a few ingredients and a food processor, you can whip up a delightful frozen dessert in as little as 15 minutes that is dairy- and lactose-free and contains no added sugar.
Our Expert Take
To lower your blood pressure, it’s worth adding more fruits to your diet. Experts recommend frozen avocado, cranberries, wild blueberries, mango and tart cherries. They’re good sources of fiber, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants—nutrients with demonstrated benefits for your blood pressure. Stocking up on these frozen fruits ensures you always have fruit on hand, even if you’re overdue for a trip to the supermarket. They’re easy to toss into smoothies, oatmeal, chia pudding, or desserts for a nutrient-rich flavor boost!
