In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This PlanFAQsMediterranean Diet & Blood PressureFoods to Focus OnMeal Prep TipsDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Plan
FAQs
Mediterranean Diet & Blood Pressure
Foods to Focus On
Meal Prep Tips
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
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Photo:Morgan Hunt Glaze
Morgan Hunt Glaze
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
In this seven-day meal plan, you’ll find an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein from legumes, fish, chicken and nuts. Each day provides an average of 38 grams of fiber. A highfiber intake is linked to many health benefits, such as improved gut health, reduced cholesterol, a lower risk of developing diabetes and even improved blood pressure. In fact, a systematic review found that increased dietary fiber intake was associated with reduced blood pressure. This finding remained consistent across the globe and among a wide variety of populations and health conditions.Because of its focus on fruits, legumes, vegetables and whole grains, the Mediterranean diet tends to be a high-fiber way of eating.
This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Top 8 Mediterranean Foods for Better Blood Pressure
Frequently Asked QuestionsIf there’s a meal you don’t like, feel free to repeat a different meal or choose from our wide variety ofhealthy high-blood pressure recipes. For daily totals, we aimed for about 1,800 calories, at least 70 grams of protein, a minimum of 34 grams of fiber and a maximum of 1,500 milligrams of sodium.Definitely! If it’s easier for your routine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it. Each breakfast is approximately 400 to 500 calories, while lunch spans about 450 to 550 calories. These ranges are fairly similar, so a swap shouldn’t be a problem for most people. If you’re closely monitoring calories or other nutrients, you can adjust a snack or two if needed.We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.Fiber is an important nutrient that most of us are missing out on, with just 7% of adults in the United States hitting their fiber goal.Fiber is linked toweight loss, improved blood sugar, regular bowel movements, more diverse gut bacteria and improved heart health.
Frequently Asked Questions
If there’s a meal you don’t like, feel free to repeat a different meal or choose from our wide variety ofhealthy high-blood pressure recipes. For daily totals, we aimed for about 1,800 calories, at least 70 grams of protein, a minimum of 34 grams of fiber and a maximum of 1,500 milligrams of sodium.
Definitely! If it’s easier for your routine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it. Each breakfast is approximately 400 to 500 calories, while lunch spans about 450 to 550 calories. These ranges are fairly similar, so a swap shouldn’t be a problem for most people. If you’re closely monitoring calories or other nutrients, you can adjust a snack or two if needed.
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Fiber is an important nutrient that most of us are missing out on, with just 7% of adults in the United States hitting their fiber goal.Fiber is linked toweight loss, improved blood sugar, regular bowel movements, more diverse gut bacteria and improved heart health.
Does the Mediterranean Diet Help High Blood Pressure?
Research indicates that the Mediterranean diet can help lower blood pressure.One small study of Australian adults over 64 years of age found that adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower blood pressure at three- and six-month follow-ups.With the Mediterranean diet’s focus on foods high in potassium and fiber, it makes sense that this healthy way of eating can improve blood pressure levels. It also emphasizes cooking more meals at home, which can be a handy strategy to reduce excess sodium intake. If you’re aiming to reduce your blood pressure, following the Mediterranean can be a helpful strategy.
Mediterranean Diet Foods to Focus On:
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat
Breakfast (401 calories)
A.M. Snack (149 calories)
Lunch (553 calories)
P.M. Snack (131 calories)
Dinner (558 calories)
Daily Totals:1,793 calories, 73g fat, 85g protein, 219g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 988mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit almonds at lunch and change P.M. snack to 1 clementine.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 medium banana with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter as an evening snack.
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
A.M. Snack (254 calories)
Lunch (498 calories)
P.M. Snack (186 calories)
Dinner (476 calories)
Meal-Prep Tip:MakePeach Pie Overnight Oatsto have for breakfast on Days 3 through 6.
Daily Totals:1,816 calories, 94g fat, 90g protein, 162g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,368mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit almonds at A.M. snack and omit pear at P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ¾ cup unsalted low-fat cottage cheese and 1 medium peach as an evening snack.
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay Clarke
Breakfast (509 calories)
P.M. Snack (210 calories)
Dinner (424 calories)
Daily Totals:1,790 calories, 88g fat, 73g protein, 182g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 1,330mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit walnuts at breakfast and change P.M. snack to 1 medium orange.
Make it 2,000 calories:Increase to 2 Tbsp. peanut butter at P.M. snack and add 1 medium apple as an evening snack.
A.M. Snack (175 calories)
P.M. Snack (95 calories)
Dinner (507 calories)
Daily Totals:1,784 calories, 74g fat, 73g protein, 218g carbohydrate, 42g fiber, 1,413mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit walnuts at breakfast and omit yogurt at A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
A.M. Snack (214 calories)
P.M. Snack (149 calories)
Dinner (429 calories)
Daily Totals:1,799 calories, 84g fat, 93g protein, 173g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,487mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit walnuts at breakfast and omit yogurt and slivered almonds at A.M. snack.
Lunch (442 calories)
Dinner (503 calories)
Daily Totals:1,813 calories, 66g fat, 77g protein, 240g carbohydrate, 45g fiber, 1,318mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit chopped walnuts at breakfast and change P.M. snack to 1 medium orange.
Make it 2,000 calories:Increase to 3 servingsPeanut Butter-Date Energy Ballsat A.M. snack and increase to 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Victor Protasio
A.M. Snack (224 calories)
P.M. Snack (177 calories)
Dinner (555 calories)
Daily Totals:1,798 calories, 76g fat, 102g protein, 188g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,426mg sodium
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 2 servingsPeanut Butter-Date Energy Ballsat A.M. snack and omitWatermelon & Arugula Saladat dinner.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ¾ cup low-fat unsalted cottage cheese and 1 medium peach as an evening snack.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.What is the Mediterranean Diet?Tejani VN, Dhillon SS, Damarlapally N, et al.The Relationship Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Blood Pressure Worldwide: A Systematic Review.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e46116.doi:10.7759/cureus.46116American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.Ahmed FS, Wade AT, Guenther BA, Murphy KJ, Elias MF.Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.J Clin Hypertens2020; 22: 2276–2284. doi:10.1111/jch.14068Guasch-Ferré M, Willett WC.The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview.J Intern Med2021; 290: 549–566. doi:10.1111/joim.13333
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.What is the Mediterranean Diet?Tejani VN, Dhillon SS, Damarlapally N, et al.The Relationship Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Blood Pressure Worldwide: A Systematic Review.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e46116.doi:10.7759/cureus.46116American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.Ahmed FS, Wade AT, Guenther BA, Murphy KJ, Elias MF.Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.J Clin Hypertens2020; 22: 2276–2284. doi:10.1111/jch.14068Guasch-Ferré M, Willett WC.The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview.J Intern Med2021; 290: 549–566. doi:10.1111/joim.13333
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.What is the Mediterranean Diet?Tejani VN, Dhillon SS, Damarlapally N, et al.The Relationship Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Blood Pressure Worldwide: A Systematic Review.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e46116.doi:10.7759/cureus.46116American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.Ahmed FS, Wade AT, Guenther BA, Murphy KJ, Elias MF.Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.J Clin Hypertens2020; 22: 2276–2284. doi:10.1111/jch.14068Guasch-Ferré M, Willett WC.The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview.J Intern Med2021; 290: 549–566. doi:10.1111/joim.13333
American Heart Association.What is the Mediterranean Diet?
Tejani VN, Dhillon SS, Damarlapally N, et al.The Relationship Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Blood Pressure Worldwide: A Systematic Review.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e46116.doi:10.7759/cureus.46116
American Heart Association.Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
Ahmed FS, Wade AT, Guenther BA, Murphy KJ, Elias MF.Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.J Clin Hypertens2020; 22: 2276–2284. doi:10.1111/jch.14068
Guasch-Ferré M, Willett WC.The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview.J Intern Med2021; 290: 549–566. doi:10.1111/joim.13333
