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Heart-healthy eating can be flavorful and sweet. Wholesome morsels like fruits and vegetables make for delicious and satisfying snack choices that also contribute to cardiovascular and overall health. Near the top of this list, Eating Well notes, are bananas. These ap-peeling fruits, rich in potassium, have long been recognized for their heart-health benefits.
Now, a recent study, published in the American Journal of Physiology and Renal Physiology, finds that consuming this tasty, yellow fruit may be even more effective at lowering blood pressure than adhering to a low-sodium diet.
The Role of Electrolytes
Sodium and potassium, SciTechDaily reports, are both electrolytes. Electrolytes, as their name suggests, regulate and send electrical signals around the body. These signals stimulate muscle movements and are also involved in regulating fluid levels. The body needs both sodium and potassium to function. Since it cannot produce these substances, it must get them exclusively from the diet.
Both these essential minerals accomplish these tasks in different ways, according to Food & Wine. Sodium works from outside the cells. When it causes the body to retain water, this can strain the blood vessels and increase blood pressure.
Potassium is found within the cells. It stimulates the kidneys causing them to filter sodium from the blood and lowering overall sodium levels. Consequently, potassium can protect from the negative effects of high-sodium levels, including high blood pressure.
The Protective Power of Potassium
Potassium’s ability to lower blood pressure has been known about for a while. But, the study in American Journal of Physiology and Renal Physiology, investigated the interactions between sodium and potassium and the ratio of potassium to sodium needed to reap health benefits. What the researchers found was surprising. The research revealed that increasing potassium in the diet had a greater protective effect on blood pressure than decreasing sodium.
“Usually, when we have high blood pressure, we are advised to eat less salt,” Anita Layton, one of the study’s authors from the University of Waterloo tells SciTechDaily. “Our research suggests that adding more potassium-rich foods to your diet such as bananas or broccoli might have a greater positive impact on your blood pressure than just cutting sodium.”
High blood pressure, The Independent reports, impacts nearly a third of adults globally. This condition progressively damages the body, and is a risk factor for a number of conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and dementia.
Men are more likely than their similarly-aged female counterparts to have high blood pressure. However, the study reveals that potassium’s protective impact on blood pressure is also more pronounced in men than women.
Foods High in Potassium
Bananas are packed with potassium, according to Food & Wine. A single serving of this yellow fruit contains 400 milligrams of the essential mineral.
Consuming bananas also offers other health benefits. They are packed with fiber which can improve gut motility and help control weight. They also have high levels of vitamin B6, which can protect against damage to your blood vessels and heart. Bananas taste delicious and can be eaten fresh, in smoothies, or even baked into banana bread.
However, it’s important not to consume too many bananas (no more than three a day). While potassium is beneficial in healthy doses, too much potassium can cause a condition called hyperkalemia, which can be dangerous for individuals with kidney dysfunction.
Angelo Falcone, an integrative medicine physician, tells Food & Wine that, when it comes to eating bananas, “Consistency is key, so regular, moderate intake is more beneficial than occasional high consumption.”
Other foods that are high in potassium include avocado, spinach, sweet potato, oranges, salmon, apricots, and broccoli. These tasty and healthy options can be easily integrated into any diet, providing maximum blood pressure benefits without skimping on flavor.
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