Fight Hypertension With Potassium

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the primary reason people visit doctor’s offices, and more prescriptions are written for its treatment than any other health problem. In addition to the use of prescription drugs, hypertension is also usually treated by reducing or eliminating the dietary intake of sodium in the form of table salt (sodium chloride). Recently released research results indicate that combining an increase in dietary potassium intake with a reduction in sodium intake is probably the most important dietary decision (after excess weight loss) people can make to reduce cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.

 Studies reveal that in societies with diets rich in fruits and vegetables, only 1% of the population suffers from hypertension. By contrast, 33% of adults have hypertension in industrialized societies where the diet contains larger amounts of processed foods, which often contain added salt. The typical diet in the United States contains about twice the sodium and only half the 4700 milligrams per day of potassium currently recommended by the American Heart Association. It might seem that taking a daily supplement is the only way to ensure a daily potassium intake as high as 4.7 grams, but that is not the case. Nature provides many potassium-rich foods such as squash, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, spinach, beans, bananas, apricots, prunes, melons, peaches, halibut, tuna, trout, and low-fat dairy products. Specific examples of the potassium content of a few dietary potassium sources are given in the following table:

Banana, 1 medium – 422mg

                        

Sweet potato, 1 baked - 694mg

                                                     

      White potato, 1 baked – 610mg

                                                    

White beans, canned, 1/2 cup- 595mg

                                                             

Yoghurt plain, nonfat, 8 oz – 595mg

                                                       

       

Halibut, cooked, 3 oz – 490mg

                                                 

In addition to potassium, some studies have shown that the minerals magnesium and calcium may also have a positive influence in maintaining healthy blood pressure. The fruits and vegetables that provide potassium in the diet are also good sources of these two minerals. So, the parental directions traditionally given to children to “eat your fruits and vegetables and drink your milk” have been given scientific validity for all of us as a way to help maintain healthy levels of blood pressure