Healthy blood pressure acts as a silent guardian of our heart health. But high blood pressure, also called hypertension, occurs when blood flow pushes against vessels too forcefully. Picture blood pressure like the pressure of water flowing through a hose. Too much pressure can damage the hose, just as high blood pressure can harm our blood vessels and organs. 

To bring down blood pressure, what you eat and drink matters. Following certain diets, like the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, is often recommended. This eating plan emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy, while limiting salt, red meat, added sugar and foods containing high levels of saturated fat. 

When it comes to drink choices to support blood pressure, tea is a stellar sip. But science appears to suggest that one type of tea rises above the rest when it comes to managing high blood pressure. 

Drink Green Tea to Lower High Blood Pressure

Tea is one of the most popular beverages consumed in the world—second to plain old water. True teas, which include teas made from the Camellia sinensis plant, include black, green, white and oolong. These true teas are distinct from herbal teas, which come from an assortment of other herbs, spices and plants. True teas are a natural source of plant compounds and antioxidants that support many aspects of our health, including our hearts.

Among the four varieties of true teas, green tea appears to have the most clinical data suggesting that sipping it regularly is linked to improved blood pressure, making it the top tea choice for hypertension. A meta-analysis evaluating the effects of green tea (via a drink or supplement) on high blood pressure found that green tea was effective in lowering blood pressure levels. Specifically, people benefitted from 3 mmHg and 1 mmHg reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively.

Green tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidant that can improve blood vessel function and enhance heart health. They may do this by preventing the narrowing of arteries, improving nitric oxide production, which widens blood vessels, and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, the researchers point out.

Additionally, the moderate amount of caffeine found in tea can stimulate a short-term increase in blood flow, potentially contributing to better overall cardiovascular health.

How to Include Green Tea in Your Diet

Green tea can be enjoyed simply by steeping green tea leaves in hot water for three to five minutes—remove the tea leaves or bag before sipping. It also tastes great iced. However, there isn’t a specific recommendation for how much tea to drink to support healthy blood pressure. What is clear is that including green tea in your rotation, along with water, can be a good move.

If you need a little sweetness in the mix, you can add some sugar, such as a touch of honey. Just be mindful of how much you add, as consuming too much added sugar is linked to elevated blood pressure in certain folks.

Besides a classic cup of tea, try an Apple-Cider Vinegar Tonic or a Matcha Green Tea Latte. At breakfast time, whip up a Green Tea-Fruit Smoothie. 

Our Expert Take

When it comes to what you drink, green tea appears to be one of the best blood-pressure-friendly choices out there. Green tea contains compounds that have important roles in relaxing smooth muscle contraction, enhancing blood vessel dilation, reducing vascular inflammation and combating oxidative stress, all of which are important to manage hypertension.

Can’t do any harm, can it? That’s probably what many people who take vitamin shots or immune capsules think. But the situation is not so clear-cut.

According to consumer protection experts, consumers rarely question the use of food supplements. Many wrongly assume that they are safe and well researched.

In advertising, especially in online networks, these products are sometimes advertised with unapproved health claims, warned Jochen Geilenkirchen, head of the food team at the German Federation of Consumer Organizations (vzbv). According to him, consumers often lack awareness of the risks of food supplements. The effectiveness of the products is also often misjudged.

According to a vzbz study, 21 percent of consumers believe that food supplements are part of a healthy diet. Almost half of consumers also wrongly assume that the products are tested for health safety before they are sold. 41 percent of respondents also expect that maximum levels for the ingredients in food supplements are legally prescribed – although this is not the case according to the consumer advocates.

The consumer advocates criticize the fact that food supplements are perceived by many consumers as a kind of natural medicine, although they are legally considered foodstuffs and do not undergo strict approval tests. It is the task of politicians to strengthen food monitoring in order to protect consumers from false advertising promises.

When it comes to the supplement aisle, multivitamins, omega-3s and probiotics might score the most real estate on the shelf. However, if that multi doesn’t come with a dose of vitamin D, your doctor might recommend adding another pill to your routine. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is something most of us aren’t getting enough of, and if you’re wondering what time of day you should take it, we’re here with the answer.

What Is Vitamin D?

Roxana Ehsani, M.S., RD, CSSD, explains that vitamin D is one of four fat-soluble vitamins (A, E and K are the others). Our bodies make vitamin D after being exposed to the sun, and we can also get it through our diet. It plays “many important roles in our body,” adds Ehsani. These include supporting your immune system, muscle and nerve function, your body’s ability to absorb calcium and more.

Even though vitamin D is critical for overall health, research suggests that an estimated 25% of Americans are deficient in it. This could be because there are few food sources of vitamin D, and many people don’t see sunshine during winter, live in regions with limited sunlight, and/or keep their skin covered while al fresco. 

The average older adult’s recommended Daily Value of vitamin D is 20 micrograms, which is equal to 800 international units (IU). For reference, one egg and a 3-ounce can of tuna each have above 1 mcg, 3 ounces of sockeye salmon delivers around 12 mcg, and 3 ounces of trout offers around 14 mcg. Unless you’re taking a spoonful of cod liver oil (34 mcg) or eating salmon or trout daily, it can be challenging to meet that mark through food alone, since most food sources of vitamin D offer small amounts.

In the U.S., people get most of their dietary vitamin D from fortified milk, which contains around 100 IU per 8-ounce serving. But you’d need to drink a quart or more of milk daily to reach the DV—and milk consumption has been declining in recent years, a factor that some experts cite when discussing increased vitamin D deficiency.

That’s why many people take a vitamin D supplement. However, you want to make sure not only that you’re taking the right amount but also that your body is absorbing it properly. Read along to learn when to take your vitamin D supplement and what factors you should consider. 

Morning vs. Evening

We’ll cut to the chase: According to the current scientific consensus, our experts agree that it doesn’t matter what time of the day you take your vitamin D supplement.

Many people find it handy to take supplements in the morning before the day sweeps them away. Others like to store them in a drawer near the kitchen cleaning supplies to pop after tidying up after dinner. It shouldn’t make a substantial difference in absorption rates whether you swing to one side or the other, although it’s easiest to remember if you pick one time and stick with it.

Factors to Consider When Deciding to Supplement

There are many factors to consider when taking any supplement, not just a vitamin D supplement; here’s what you should keep in mind.

Health Conditions

First, several conditions can influence an individual’s vitamin D levels (or needs). These include osteoporosis or osteopenia, depression, kidney or liver disease and having a family history of neurological conditions, to name a few. 

According to David Davidson, M.D., it’s especially important for “people with absorption issues, like inflammatory bowel disease or post-gastric bypass surgery” to work with their doctors to dial in their dose and receive personalized guidance about when to take vitamin D. 

Body size can also alter absorbency and dosing, so be sure to ask your doctor for an individual recommendation before you set off to shop for supplements.

If you notice any nausea, constipation, noticeable appetite shifts or other adverse symptoms after taking your supplement, be sure to chat with your doctor.

Individual Preference

Regardless of why you’re including a vitamin D supplement in your regimen, it’s important to consider your routine. It’s difficult to reap the health benefits of vitamin D if you forget to take it most of the time.

Many people do well with “habit stacking” or pairing the routine of taking vitamin D with something else they do daily on autopilot. Keep this in mind as you consider when to take your supplements.  Ehsani shows how to put this into practice: “If you always brush your teeth in the morning after breakfast, for instance, can you place your vitamin D supplements next to your toothbrush to remind you to take it each day?”

As with any new medication or supplement, it’s important to check with a health care professional to determine the best time for you. As a general rule, though, “the ‘best’ time is what works best for you,” Ehsani says. 

With or Without Meals

“The timing of when to take the vitamin D supplement shouldn’t matter, but it should be taken with food,” Davidson says. “Because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, food, specifically healthy fats, will help with the absorption of vitamin D.” 

For example, if you tend to have almond-butter toast each morning, “consider taking it with that meal, as almond butter contains healthy fats,” Ehsani advises. Or, if you like to serve dinner with a side salad topped with a handful of walnuts and drizzled with a vinaigrette, take your vitamin D before you sit down to dig in. You could also choose to take your vitamin D with a glass of whole milk or a yogurt drink—you’ll get the addition of calcium from the dairy and the vitamin D will help your body absorb the calcium.

“It may be impractical for you to take it with meals if you eat a majority of your meals away from home and can’t realistically carry the vitamin D supplement with you everywhere you go,” Ehsani acknowledges. So, if that’s not a realistic proposition, tell a health care professional about your schedule and when you think it might better fit, and ask for their runner-up recommendation.

Type of Vitamin D

There are two types of vitamin D: D2 and D3. UV-grown plants, fungi and fortified foods deliver D2, while we get D3 from sunlight and animal-based ingredients. While both are important and beneficial, vitamin D3 is more bioavailable than vitamin D2. This means that your body uses vitamin D3 more efficiently, so you might need a higher dose of vitamin D2 to achieve the same effects as you might with a supplement that includes just D3. 

Before starting any new supplement regimen, talk to a health care professional about the best form of vitamin D for you. And if you already take a vitamin D supplement, confirm with them that you’re taking the right form. 

Our Expert Take

The best time to take a vitamin D supplement is when it fits well into your day—and when you can remember to take it. 

When choosing a vitamin D supplement, consider opting for vitamin D3 over D2 so your body can use it more efficiently. Additionally, Ehsani and Davidson confirm that, ideally, you should take your vitamin D supplement with a meal that contains fat to help with absorption. For instance, if you like to take vitamin D first thing in the morning, well before you typically eat breakfast, or prefer to pop your supplements just before bed, think about doing so with a handful of nuts or a spoonful of nut butter, Ehsani says. That way, you’ll enjoy two wellness wins in one: better vitamin D absorption and all the health benefits of nuts.