These are the foods that should be avoided to control blood pressure:

1. Potato chips There is plenty of evidence that high sodium intake is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Potato chips are the ultimate (unhealthy!) salty snack, and if you find yourself eating potato chips regularly, you'll end up setting yourself up for disaster. One study found a link between eating potato chips and an increase in heart disease. 2. Canned soup The problem with this canned version of chicken noodle soup? It packs a ton of sodium, too. Campbell's creamy chicken noodle soup, for example, contains 790 milligrams of sodium per serving. One whole can - which we all know is easy to eat in one sitting - contains 1,720 milligrams of sodium. Remember, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day, with hopes of moving to an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 milligrams per day for most adults. 3. Pizza Sorry to say, but pizza is another food that doesn't help your heart or blood pressure. Not only does it have tons of sodium, but it's also packed with saturated fat. 4. Fries Seeds that are fried to golden perfection may taste great, but they are bad news for blood pressure. They are filled with fat and salt, which can lead to belly fat, and if you have more fat that is stored in your midsection, your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels will all end up high as well. Researchers from Harvard Medical School even looked at more than 187,000 men and women in three studies and found that those who ate four or more servings a week of French fries were at a 17% higher risk of having high blood pressure. 5. soda It's no secret that soda is never the ideal drink, but if you need another reason to try to kick your Coca-Cola habit, let this be it. One study found that those who drank more than one soda or other sugar-sweetened beverage each day had higher blood pressure, putting them at greater risk for cardiovascular problems. This is just one of the scary side effects of drinking too many sodas! 6. Deli meats Deli meat is often loaded with sodium and often contains the preservative sodium nitrate. Nitrates are actually linked to a potential risk of heart disease. You'll want to skip those heavy, meat-laden sandwiches! 7. Bacon Like the earlier cured meats, bacon is also unacceptable for the same reasons. He, too, has tons of sodium, which we know contributes to high blood pressure, and contains those weird nitrates. 8. Alcohol If you happen to have a few drinks each evening to relax, you may want to rethink this stress reliever. The AHA recommends limiting alcohol intake to prevent high blood pressure, as drinking too much alcohol can actually raise blood pressure. 9. salad dressing You may not even realize your favorite store-bought salad dressing, but there's a good chance you'll find one unexpected ingredient in it: high fructose corn syrup. If your diet is full of sugar, including HFCS, you are at increased risk for obesity and high blood pressure. In fact, one study found that high amounts of fructose from added sugar can lead to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. So if your blood pressure is already not as low as you want it to be, you can imagine that more sweet stuff in foods you don't even realize will only make things worse for you. 10. doughnuts The FDA recommends that you consume less than 10 percent of your daily calories from added sugar. There's a good chance that many people consume more than that each day, and if you happen to turn to a donut or other beloved baked good for breakfast and dessert, you're in the danger zone. All of these added sugars are not good for heart health, and one study found that increased consumption of added sugars may be associated with adverse cardiovascular health factors, such as higher blood pressure.   [cool_tag_cloud on_single_display="local"]