7-Day High-Fiber Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Lower Blood Pressure
| Meal Plan At a Glance | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAYS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| MEALS | Breakfast: Cherry, Beet & Kale Smoothie –––– Lunch: Chicken & Sweet Potato Wrap –––– Dinner: Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup + Avocado | Breakfast: Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie –––– Lunch: Lentil Squash Soup + Avocado –––– Dinner: Chicken Parmesan Casserole | Breakfast: Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie –––– Lunch: Vegan Superfood Grain Bowl + Banana –––– Dinner: Mojo Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes | Breakfast: Spinach-Avocado Smoothie –––– Lunch: Vegan Superfood Grain Bowl + Banana –––– Dinner: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus | Breakfast: Spinach-Avocado Smoothie –––– Lunch: Vegan Superfood Grain Bowl + Banana –––– Dinner: Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens | Breakfast: Cherry, Beet & Kale Smoothie –––– Lunch: Savory Oatmeal Grain Bowl –––– Dinner: Chicken, Spinach & Tomato Orzo | Breakfast: Berry-Almond Smoothie Bowl –––– Lunch: Savory Oatmeal Grain Bowl –––– Dinner: Garlic Butter Salmon, Beets & Broccoli |
| DAILY TOTALS | Calories: 1789 Fat: 74 g Protein: 82 g Carbs: 223 g Fiber: 38 g Sodium: 1009 mg | Calories: 1767 Fat: 75 g Protein: 81 g Carbs: 224 g Fiber: 50 g Sodium: 1129 mg | Calories: 1802 Fat: 86 g Protein: 89 g Carbs: 198 g Fiber: 45 g Sodium: 812 mg | Calories: 1799 Fat: 58 g Protein: 94 g Carbs: 250 g Fiber: 55 g Sodium: 1059 mg | Calories: 1777 Fat: 71 g Protein: 100 g Carbs: 204 g Fiber: 43 g Sodium: 1006 mg | Calories: 1785 Fat: 70 g Protein: 96 g Carbs: 213 g Fiber: 96 g Sodium: 1400 mg | Calories: 1822 Fat: 101 g Protein: 78 g Carbs: 178 g Fiber: 40 g Sodium: 1205 mg |
Day 1
Daily totals: 1789 calories, 74 g fat, 82 g protein, 223 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 1009 mg sodium
Breakfast (421 Calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Cherry, Beet & Kale Smoothie
Lunch (413 calories)
This Chicken & Sweet Potato Wrap Is an Easy, High-Protein Lunch
Dinner (480 Calories)
High-Protein Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup
Snacks
- ¾ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (100 calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds (206 calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (169 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit avocado from dinner and yogurt from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 orange to lunch and increase to 1 full avocado with dinner.
Day 2
Daily totals: 1767 calories, 75 g fat, 81 g protein, 224 g carbohydrates, 50 g fiber, 1129 mg sodium
Breakfast (358 Calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie
Lunch (480 Calories)
Dinner (467 Calories)
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Serve with: ½ cup cooked spinach
Snacks
- 1 cup frozen edamame (129 calories)
- ¼ cup dried apricot halves (78 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit High-Protein Energy Bars from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to ½ cup dried apricot halves for snack and increase to 1 full avocado with lunch.
Day 3
Daily totals: 1802 calories, 86 g fat, 89 g protein, 198 g carbohydrates, 45 g fiber, 812 mg sodium
Breakfast (358 Calories)
Lunch (486 calories)
Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
- Serve with: 1 medium banana
Dinner (574 Calories)
Sheet-Pan Mojo Chicken with Green Beans & Potatoes
Snacks
- ¼ cup dried apricot halves (78 calories)
- ¾ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (100 calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds (206 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almonds and yogurt from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 tablespoon peanut butter to lunch and 1 cup edamame to snacks.
Day 4
Daily totals: 1799 calories, 58 g fat, 94 g protein, 250 g carbohydrates, 55 g fiber, 1059 mg sodium
Breakfast (357 Calories)
Lunch (486 calories)
Dinner (472 Calories)
Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Snacks
- 1 cup frozen edamame (129 calories)
- 1 serving High-Protein Energy Bars (256 calories)
- ¾ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (100 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit High-Protein Energy Bars from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add ½ avocado to dinner and ½ cup blueberries to snacks.
Day 5
Daily totals: 1777 calories, 71 g fat, 100 g protein, 204 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1006 mg sodium
Breakfast (357 Calories)
Lunch (486 calories)
Dinner (558 Calories)
Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
- Serve with: ½ cup cooked quinoa
Snacks
- ¼ cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (169 calories)
- ¼ cup dried apricot halves (78 calories)
- 1 cup frozen edamame (129 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit banana from lunch and pumpkin seeds from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving High-Protein Energy Bars to snacks.
Day 6
Daily totals: 1785 calories, 70 g fat, 96 g protein, 213 g carbohydrates, 96 g fiber, 1400 mg sodium
Breakfast (421 Calories)
Lunch (431 calories)
Savory Oatmeal Is Underrated—Try This Grain Bowl and See for Yourself
Dinner (548 Calories)
One-Pot Chicken, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
Snacks
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit High-Protein Energy Bars from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 orange to lunch and ¼ cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds to snacks.
Day 7
Daily totals: 1822 calories, 101 g fat, 78 g protein, 178 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 1205 mg sodium
Breakfast (360 Calories)
Berry-Almond Smoothie Bowl
Lunch (431 calories)
Dinner (577 Calories)
Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon with Beets & Broccoli
- Serve with: ¾ cup cooked brown rice
Snacks
- ¼ cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds (206 calories)
- ¼ cup dried apricot halves (78 calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (169 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Reduce serving of brown rice at dinner to ½ cup and omit apricots and pumpkin seeds from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¾ cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt to snacks and increase to 1 cup of brown rice with dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to mix and match meals if there’s one I don’t like?Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious Healthy High-Blood Pressure Recipes.
Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 357 to 421 calories while the lunches span 413 to 486 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you’re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.
Why is there not a 1,200 calorie modification?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.
Other Tips for Healthy Blood Pressure
Eating a balanced diet centered around fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help manage high blood pressure. Aim for a max of 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day and plenty of potassium-rich foods like lentils, soybeans, yogurt, dried fruits, bananas, salmon, spinach, and potatoes. Beyond a healthy diet, staying active can also help prevent or manage high blood pressure. Any increase in activity helps, but aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week for the most benefits. It’s also worth managing stress through things like walking, socializing or meditating. Finally, limit alcohol and avoid smoking to promote healthy blood pressure.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal 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.
You Deeper
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